Fighting For Love
by Gust-In-A-Flash
Summary: When Barry Allen first moved half way across the country to start his life as a college student the last thing he expected was to find himself one door away from the Ice seductress herself add one awkward confrontation and secret that will scar them both for life ... Well... That's if he can remember it - (Co-Written)
1. Introduction

**Just a new idea I am trying out so let me know what you think…**

 **Thank you to #Theflashanatic ( sweetheart16081 on twitter) for co-writing with me!**

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Tugging a t-shirt over my head, I made my way to the door just to stop the annoying knocking. Everyone in town knows this area is populated with students – most of whom do not see the light of morning so why someone is knocking on my door at just gone nine in the morning I don't know. Pulling the door open I see a delivery guy stood on the other side, a brown box held out to me which I took, followed by a clipboard for me to sign. Scribbling my signature in the box, I handed it back to him and slammed the door on him.

Going into the kitchen, I toss the package onto the counter and switch on the coffee maker, waiting for my coffee, I grabbed a knife from the draw and sliced the package open knowing it's probably from my mom and dad as a welcome to your new home gift. Placing the knife back into the draw I opened the box pulling back the tissue paper looking inside to see some sort of blue material. Raising my eyebrow I pulled the item out of the box only to see the blue material turned out to be some sort of lacy dress thing that I've seen women wear in movies just before they're about to seduce a man. If this is from my parents then they have no idea what I want because this isn't even my colour, everyone knows I look best in red – not blue. Unless this is some sick joke they're playing and it's a hint to get myself a girlfriend because if this is for me then they have the wrong size, this will never fit me.

Flipping the box lid over, I check the address only to find out it isn't for me but addressed to the apartment next door, the girl I saw the back of yesterday on her way inside her apartment, when I moved in so either the delivery guy can't read or he just decided to knock me up on a Saturday at nine o'clock in the morning for fun. Shaking my head, I dropped the item of clothing – if it could be described as that back on top of the box and went to get my coffee. It's far too early to deal with stuff like this.

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Two cups of coffee and a shower later I finally feel ready to deal with the problem sitting on my kitchen counter, the blue thing that only makes me wonder what the girl next door looks like, knowing it's for her has only sent my imagination into over drive. The only thing I saw of her last night was the _blonde_ almost _white hair_ as she disappeared from view. Running my hand over my face I went into the kitchen collecting the box and 'dress' and headed next door to try and explain why it's been opened and hoping she doesn't think I'm some creep who had been opening her mail.

Taking a deep breath I lifted my hand and knocked on her door, rocking back and forth on my heels waiting for her to answer – she might not even be up yet and she might hate me for waking her. The door finally opened to reveal my new neighbour, the _blonde almost white hair_ being the first thing I saw, quickly followed by her _blue like ice_ _eyes_.

"Can I help you?" she asked making me snap out of my daze to take her in properly. The sight in front of me making me wish I had of just sealed the box up again and left it on her doorstep because getting a real look at her, I couldn't help but imagine her wearing that blue 'dress' that would stand out against her snow white skin,

"I think this belongs to you" I dangled the offending piece of material off the end of my finger between us.

"You're opening my mail?" her _blue eyes_ staring at me as if they're looking straight into my soul.

"They delivered it to my apartment and I thought it was for me so I opened it. I never checked the address. If I had of known it was yours I wouldn't have opened it I promise – scout's honour" I raised three fingers into the air trying to defend myself but I know it's too late and she has already labelled me a creep. "I'm Barry by the way, I just moved in next door"

"Caitlin" she reached out to take the blue material from my hand. Her hand lightly brushed against mine but I couldn't ignore how cold they it felt against my hand - cold being an understatement as it freezing cold.

Cold enough to send a shiver down my spine, "You're hands are freezing" the words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them and judging by the look on her face she had expected me to say something about it as she quickly hid the 'dress' and her hands behind her back out of view.

"My heats out, I'm waiting for the landlord to fix it" she quickly reached out taking the box from under my arm and dropping onto the floor by the door inside her apartment. "Thank you for returning it, bye" she quickly spoke, slamming the door shut before I could find the words to speak.

I stood there for a couple of minutes staring at the white door wondering what I could have said to offend her, what I could have done apart from open her mail and look at what she ordered, both of which I have explained, it's not as if I meant to snoop through her private things it's was an honest mistake that anyone could have made while they're still half asleep and coffee deprived so why would she suddenly turn icy and slam the door shut on me. Maybe I did wake her and she isn't a morning person I told myself.

Shaking my head I made my way back into my apartment knowing my fantasies and dreams from this point on are probably going to consist of _platinum blonde hair, striking sapphire blue eyes and that very small piece of blue material._

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 **What did you think?**

 **This is clearly FlashFrost is you haven't worked that out.**

 **I don't know if I'm going to continue with this, just thought i'd try out my crazy idea and managed to drag someone else along for the ride this time!**

 **5+ reviews for the next chapter**

 **Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter One

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the first chapter… replies below!**

 **Areiss215** – you always have sex on the brain haha, we're working hard on trying to build on what we already have but we're having fun doing it … I think.

 **Raquel** – I did say something about a FlashFrost fic but this isn't it. I came up with the ides and managed to drag someone else along for the ride. Yes Caitlin already has powers as for Barry you will have to wait and see if he has his or not.

 **Boba** – yes I did see the promo and I can't wait the Queen is coming and I guess you could say this is perfect timing.

 **ChildOfTheCandy** – did we, I think you can make your mind up with this chapter on her personality.

 **Katmerlos** – well I hope you like this chapter as much as the last one.

 **Lina** – yes another fic and as for Barry you will have to wait and see if he has powers or not.

 **Thekiller00** – well then you can have more… I hope you like this chapter too.

 **FlashFrost** – I can't tell you if Barry has powers or not because it's a part of the fic so you will have to wait and see.

 **Bluerok28** – no they don't that is why I am so excited about doing this, you all know I've wanted to do a KF fic for a while not and it's finally happening and I'm so excited for it because there are a lot of twists and turns along the way.

 **Foreveryoung07** – only Caitlin has powers, she is Killer Frost as for if Barry will get powers you'll have to wait and see.

 **Guest** – enjoy this chapter.

 **Halima** – well I hope you like this chapter as well.

 **Updates on this will take a little longer then they normally would on my other story's but that is because I'm not doing this alone but the rate we updates depends on your response!**

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Pacing up and down along the edge of the sofa, unable to sit still for the past three days his words bouncing around in my head on a continuous loop "your hands are freezing" does he know my secret, no one can know my secret. I haven't slept much for the past couple of night maybe three hours shared between the two. He can't know my secret, it's impossible for him to know after a brief encounter. My hands could have been cold for a number of reasons and I came up with the lamest, my heat is out – is that really the best I could come up with? I'm a god damn science major and the best I could come up with is my god damn heat is out.

It's impossible for some stupid college boy to know the secret I have kept my whole life, this is probably his first time away from his mommy – his first time in the real world where it can be cruel unlike under the protection of a parent. He's no doubt spending every second he can on the phone to her, telling her how much he misses her and wishing he could have stayed there. Well I'm sorry preppy college boy not all of us have our mothers for protection. Some of us have had to make it on our own in this big bad world for some time so maybe he should just grow up and learn to deal with it. He doesn't know my secret he's not smart enough to figure it out, if anything I'll be surprised if he knows how to tie his own shoelaces.

As if it didn't take long enough to get rid of the party boys who used to live next door, thinking they could hit on me every time they saw me in the hallway or lobby, I now need to put up with mommy's boy who will probably ask me to help his do laundry, this is why you should never answer the door because bad things happen when you do, like you meet your new neighbor who thinks he can open your mail and make comments on how cold your hand are. I've been cold since the day I was born and that is never going to change until I die when I will still be cold.  
A loud bang from next door making me roll my eyes at him, so he's going to be the noisy neighbor just what I need, he's probably fallen over trying to put pants on I thought to myself as I dragged myself out of my glum, or tried to by finally sitting down and picking up the book I'm trying to read but concentration wasn't my friend as I couldn't focus on the words on the page if anything the only thing I could think about was my new neighbor, the cute awkward smile when he tried to explain what had happened, his dark hair perfectly styles and the green eyes that looked on edge from the moment I opened the door.

I could sense his warmth from the distance between us and when my hands grazed his for that brief moment I felt electricity run through my veins bring my body to life and it made me crave it more. I have spent most of my life trying to fight against the urge to find a heat source but that one brief moment makes me want more – need more of him. I have come into contact with others and none of them gave me the rush he did. That brief moment of being alive for the first time in a long time.

Not to mention how good looking he is, why did he have to be hot? Why couldn't it have been someone who is completely lacking in everything and didn't interest her at all? Why couldn't he just look completely different from what he does, why does he have to affect me the way he did? Why did genetics have to be in his favor? It's just not fair; someone is playing a very cruel game.  
Tossing the book across the room to the chair I groaned, annoyed with myself for allowing my control to slip, for allowing myself to want human contact – I can't have contact it's too dangerous. My need is to strong and I've seen what can happen if I allow my control to slip but even now when he's behind a closed door I can still feel the need to be by him, to feel that rush again.

Another bang came from next door making me wonder if he's doing this on purpose but at the same time it brought me out of the daze I had found myself in, turning to look at the wall that separated us, thinking I could see through it which obviously I couldn't. Suddenly everything went quiet which made me think he had somehow managed to kill himself doing who knows what but after the loud bang nothing followed.

Pressing my ear up against the wall I tried to drown out the sound of his one man dance party to "Vanilla ice" - I mean what sort of grown man listens to that? Everything about him is just proving my theory right he's a "momma's boy" ignoring his terrible taste in music I strained my ear drums In a desperate attempt to try figure out what on earth was happening on the "other side" of the wall "but jumped out of my skin as someone knocked on the door. Trying to pull myself together I headed for the door. "Why can't people just leave me alone?" I asked myself looking through the peephole on the door to see who it was, only to see Barry stood there. "At least he hasn't killed himself" I thought wondering what the hell he is doing here.

Knowing the only way to get an answer is to open the door; I did just that coming face to face with the Neanderthal himself once again. "Hello again" I looked him up and down noticing drinking him in from his black skinny jeans and form fitted white shirt that put his 6 pack on full display. To something in his hands covered in silver foil which confused me but at the same time set my senses on overdrive due to the sweet aroma wafting from the still hidden from sight delicacy The tantalizing smell alone making my taste buds hum in appreciation . I don't know what is more tempting the food he is holding or the body heat emitting from the taut frame holding it , making me want to touch him just to feel that high once more.

"I don't know what I did the other day to offend you but I wanted to apologies if I did upset you. It really was an honest mistake and I've learnt to always check the label first" he started to ramble which was cute. Damn him for being cute, I'm supposed to be able to control myself around people, I've had years of practice but then he strolls into my life, holding my flimsy "pajamas" and my life is seems to have suddenly tipped on its axis and now he's here and I'm still not sure why.

"Forget about it, why bother with the past" I dismissed him with a quick gesture of my hand knowing it might be the quickest way to get him to leave before I find myself doing something I know I shouldn't.

"I brought you lasagne as a peace maker, I'd really like us to be friends and I feel we got off on the wrong foot" he held the foil covered dish out to me.

"Thank you but I'll have to decline, thank you but no thank you" I told him even if it smelt amazing. I wanted it but I didn't want him to think we are friends, I don't do the 'Friend thing' it is too dangerous. I might play the part in society but behind closed door I can be me, I can be free. "Well free to some degree.

"Please I always make too much because I'm used to cooking for three, it will only get wasted if you don't have it" he offered it to me again, the dish being forced upon me.

"I've already eaten" I lied, I know he's only trying to be friendly but one slice of lasagne will lead to a cup of sugar which will lead to movie night and before I know it we'll be almost best friends who live next door to each other, exchanging Christmas gifts and telling our each other our life stories I don't want that – I don't ever want that I want to be able to spend my life alone. I want to have control; I need that control in order to survive.

"Oh – umm - you can still take it and I don't know- maybe reheat it tomorrow" he shrugged avoiding eye contact with me, his eyes remaining fixed on the foil covered dish.

"I have to go, I left the bath running" I quickly slammed the door in his face, leaning my back against it with a sigh. For the second time in less than a week I have come up with the lamest excuse ever – seriously who uses I left the bath running? It's up there with I'm washing my hair it's just bad. How can someone with a 4.0 PGA come up with these lame excuses surly I can do better than this?

Not only have I come up with the lamest excuse for the second time but the second time I have slammed the door in his face, hopefully he will now get the hint that I don't like being disturbed by people and he'll stop returning with food because I don't want to get to know him, I don't want to be his friend – it's too dangerous not only for him but myself also.  
Quickly spinning around I looked back through the peephole to see Barry bend over out of sight only to reappear seconds later, with a shake of his head and what looked like a quiet chuckle to himself he walked away from the door empty handed.

The smell of the lasagne still fresh within my senses, I stood behind the door for a what felt like a life time just on the off chance he was still stood outside his door waiting to ambush me. Once satisfied he wasn't out there, I slowly opened the door and popped my head through the small gap checking the coast is clear before quickly snatching up the dish of lasagne he left on the mat outside my door. Checking the hallway is still clear I quickly disappeared back into my apartment, locking the door behind me.

Bringing the Lasagne up to my nose I inhaled deeply savoring the smell while making my way to the kitchen to fetch a fork, the dish was still warm against my hands meaning he must have only just made it which would explain the banging I heard from next door, he must have dropped something in the kitchen I thought to myself. Dragging myself back to the sofa, I curled myself up into a ball on the end of the sofa digging into the delicate layers of pasta contained within the dish. Resisting the urge to moan as the rich tomato sauce sent my desires to a point of no return.

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Collecting the now clean dish from the counter, I grab the stack of sticky notes and the pen that I kept on my refrigerator and headed for the door. checking the hallways is clear once more because quite frankly the last thing I need is to run into yet another neighbor and then force myself to be "social butterfly Caitlin "because I'm so not in the mood for that, the sooner everyone in this building realizes I like being alone the better and the sooner pretty boy next door figures out the same then it's back to enjoying peaceful days on my lonesome. satisfied the hallways I clear, I pried the door open and just as before popped my head through the small gap for a wider look, with a small smile to myself I stepped outside and placed the dish back onto pretty boys door mat, Crouching beside the dish I quickly scribbled a note onto one of the sticky notes.

 _Thank you for the lasagne it was - nice_  
 _But please don't bring me food again_  
 _I am more than capable of preparing my own food_  
 _Caitlin_  
 _P.S if you every run out of sugar and need some,_  
 _don't come to me – I have none._

Happy with my little note, knowing it will stop him coming to me if he needs sugar. I pulled the small yellow square of paper off the stack and stuck it into the middle of the dish. Standing back up to my full height I knocked on the door and ducked back into my own apartment as quickly as I could, locking the doors and pressing my ear against it, I heard pretty boy open his own door and no doubt looking confused to find no one stood on the other side – then again he should have used his peephole isn't that what it is there for.

Upon hearing his door close again, I sighed knowing he wasn't going to knock on my door again, maybe now I can finally try to relax falling into a dreamless state of sleep I realized the chances of that happening are second to none.

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 **So there you have Caitlin… no idea how to sum this chapter up so please feel free do it for me.**

 **Once again ...**

 **Updates on this will take a little longer then they normally would on my other story's but that is because I'm not doing this alone but the rate we updates depends on your response!**

 **Thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter Two

**Thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter, I would reply to them all but for some reason I can't see my reviews but if I could you all know I would have replied.**

 **But enjoy this chapter and leave us your thoughts… we like reading them!**

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I hate this movie, why I subject myself to sit through this miserable excuse of a movie time and time again I don't know. I will never understand why people seem to love it so much I mean if people knew of my powers would they want to be me? Would they want to be this literal heat vampire that has no control over her Harry Potter level powers?

Elsa thinks she has it bad by taking herself up a mountain by song and building herself an ice castle because she accidently revealed her powers to the town and then well...froze it, well there's that ... But seriously she has no idea – this spoilt brat Disney princess thinks being born with powers and spending her childhood building snowmen with her little sister is the end of the world. How about she tries being me for a day where I have to have my heat on as high as possible - God knows my electricity bill is probably the sole cause of global warming , wrap myself up in layers upon layers of blankets and throw overs in an attempt to get even the slightest amount of warmth. Why doesn't she have to be burdened with the ongoing battle to control the killer urge within her? Let's see Disney turn her into a heat vacuum with an inner turmoil then we'll see how bad she has it because compared to me she's living on cloud nine. I wish the only thing I had to worry about is some stupid frozen kingdom and building a talking snowman whose life's dream is to see summer then I would be living the easy life.

Not that my full attention is on the movie, more like on the wall that my TV is attached too, the wall that separates my apartment from Barry's. I haven't heard anything from him for the past week, not since I returned his dish with my little note and when I say nothing – not even a bang like I'm used to hearing because that guy drops a lot of things. Talk about butterfingers.

My dad warned me about this, he warned me I would be drawn to certain people just like he was to my mother and I hoped he was wrong, I don't want to be drawn to Barry – I don't want to be drawn to anyone. I like my own company where I know I'm safe, where I know other people are safe from me. When I was younger my dad sat me down and explained that I would be drawn to certain people throughout my life time and it's up to me to decide if it's for a good reason or a bad one and I always thought he was lying until Barry strolled into my life and now I don't know what to do, he never told me how I figure out if it is for good or bad reason he just said I would know- What kind of twisted backwards logic is that any way?

In my whole life I have never been drawn to someone, this is a first for me and it terrifies me. He said I would know if it was a good or a bad thing but I don't know - how do I work it out? It's not like I find this kind of stuff on answers .com To say I haven't been able to stop thinking about the stranger next door would be the biggest understatement of the year; he is the only thing I think about outside of school work, I have this ache within me that tells me I want to know him, I want to know everything about him but I can't because I'm not safe to be around – if something went wrong while in his company then I could end up killing him. I could kill the pretty boy next door and I don't want that to happen.

That is the main reason for pushing him away because it's for his own safety to stay away but now that I haven't seen or heard anything from him or his apartment it's making me feel on edge because I need to know he is there, just on the other side of the wall. Wrapping my thick fluffy blanket tighter around my body I try to focus on the movie but my eyes refuse to leave the wall, why couldn't I be born with the power of x-ray vision like those Kryptonians then I would be able to settle myself down knowing he is safe as much as I want to keep him as far away from me as possible I also need to know he is safe, something within me tells me that I need to keep him safe.

Pausing the movie, I listened to see if I could hear anything coming from his apartment but all that could be heard was the sound of running water but not from a tap, to me it sounded like Niagara Falls. Had he gone and moved Niagara into his apartment or something because the sound of crashing water sounds like he is trying to generate hydrostatic electricity in there. Jumping up from the sofa, I pounded my fist again the wall hoping to get his attention. "TURN YOUR GOD DAMN WATER FEATURE OFF" I shouted hoping he could hear me over the noise, so much for not hearing anything from him for the past week because he's making up for it now. I had to put up with party central with the last occupants and now Aquaman.

The water shut off as I sighed knowing he had heard me but more so because he is in there. Resting my head on the back of the sofa, I yelped in surprise as someone started banging on my door to the point I thought the thing was about to break off its hinges. Jumping to my feet I raced towards the door to save it from the savage beating its taking. Without looking through my peephole like I always do, I swing the door open to come face to face with Barry Standing on my doorstep in nothing but a fluffy white towel, suds from shampoo in his hair, dishevelled and dripping water onto my doormat.

At first I thought he was here to have a go at me for banging on the wall but he wouldn't be standing here how he is to do that which only makes me curious if not a little shocked to see him stood in his current state on my door mat, beads of water - or was that sweat? running mockingly down his toned chest and abs, racing each other to the towel and I can only imagine what said towel is concealing.

"It's not a water feature" he said bring me back into the here and now instead of daydreaming about what is concealed under that white fluffy towel. So much for wanting to distance myself from him – how can I do that when he's standing right here in front of me in nothing but a damn towel. The image before me will forever be engraved into my memory and I have a strange feeling that it may just play a reoccurring role in my dreams for the rest of my life. "Can I use your shower?"

"Use your own" I shot back defensively crossing my arms across my chest shocked that he would ask such a thing of me we barely even knew each other .

"I can't, please and then I'll explain once I've rinsed my hair" he all by begged me which surprised me yet again. When did things like this happen? Especially to me, this is why you shouldn't accept food because at first it's an innocent slice of lasagne and now he wants to use my shower.

"How about you explain now" I folded my arms across my chest, enjoying the view in front of me for so many reason – reason I shouldn't be.

"Can you let me in first; I am stood in the hallway in a towel? I highly doubt this is something you would want those little Scouts girls selling cookie too be exposed to"

"If I let you use my shower will you stop dripping on my things?" I asked because if I invite him in to listen to his story then he's just going to drip onto my carpet.

"Yes, thank you" he pushed his way into my apartment making a B-line for the bathroom. I stood in the doorway for a moment wondering what the hell was happening, how did I go from avoiding him to allowing him to use my shower?

"Oh you're watching Frozen" he paused long enough to gaze at the Tv, continuing his journey to the bathroom giving him his own personal rendition of 'Let it go'

Finally shutting the door, I made my way back to the sofa where I sat listening to Barry continue to sing 'Let it go' surprised by how good his voice sounded - in fact I could've sworn he sounded like this kid I once saw on glee, but I still wanted to know why he is here, in my shower and not his own. The sooner I find out the sooner I can get him out of my apartment again and I can go back to living my recluse lifestyle that I am accustomed to. No one other than me and the landlord has ever stepped foot into this apartment since the day I moved in and I had intended to keep that way ... – well up until Barry decided to show up on my door way in nothing but a very low wrapped towel

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In all my life I have never been more grateful to not be indulging in my usual hot chocolate at a certain moment because if I had of been then I would have most definitely done a spit take all over my brand new carpet as Aquaman re-entered my living room still singing 'Let it go' for what I can only guess is the tenth time but what shocked me is the fact is he is not only singing into one of my hairbrushes, pausing for a moment in between to run it through his chocolate brown hair and then proceeding to sing into it but worse than that, he is wrapped in my petite women's spa robe!

"Is that my robe?" I asked eyeing the pale grey fluffy number I usually wear after my shower, hence why it was hanging on the back of the MY bathroom door. For MY personal use – NOT HIS

"It's very comfortable and not too revealing" he stated matter of fact making certain his manhood is covered by the material before taking seat on the sofa beside me.

"I know it is, that is why I bought it – for ME"

"I didn't bring any clothes with me and I don't think you would appreciate me sitting on your sofa in a wet towel"

"Just tell me why you need to use my shower" I shook my head knowing I'm never going to get rid of him at this rate – if we carry at this rate pretty soon he'll be warming my bed through the night and preparing me breakfast in the morning.

"Well the story goes like this – I was in the shower you know shampoo still in my hair and all that, well anyway I was in the shower and I heard what I can only describe as a loud clanking noise when all of a sudden one of the exposed pipes in the bathroom burst and I jumped out of the shower and had to shut all my water off to save flooding my apartment and you can guess the rest – I see you got your heat fixed, it's mad hot in here" he began to fan himself with the top half of my robe.

"You're hot because you've just got out of the shower" I informed him, yes I might have my heat turned up to the highest it an possibly go but he doesn't need to know that, as long as I can act normal then I will get away with it. He smirked at me

"Not true sweetheart, I look hot all the time not just coming out of the shower" I scowled at him, wondering if his ego could have taken that kind of personal vanity. Grabbing the pillow from behind my back to lightly thump him on the head

"Modest much?" I questioned with a roll of my eyes the sweet scent of kiwi hit my senses as I snapped my head to look at him, debating in my head if he did or didn't use it. "Did you use my body wash?"

"Yeah It smells amazing doesn't it" he lifted his arm up to his nose, inhaling the smell deeply.

"YOU USED MY BODYWASH?!" I resisted the urge to grab hold of him by the robe and throw him out of my apartment; did this guy understand boundaries at all? I mean it's bad enough that he is inside my apartment, let alone in my robe and now he is using my kiwi mint body wash? What the hell is that about?

"I had to finish my shower – what's the point in washing my hair if I don't wash the rest of me. Though I do really like this robe – it's nice and cosy" he cuddled into the fluffy grey material.

"You can keep it" I told him knowing I didn't want it back now.

"You can have it back, I don't need it"

"Believe me when I say you can keep it – I don't want it now, knowing your naked "manhood" has touched it" I said using air quotes

"Shush, I like this one" he flapped his hand in front of me face, "Reindeers are better than people, Sven, don't you think that's true?" he began to sing making me roll my eyes at him. Great just what my life needed a mentally unstable guy or more accurately over grown 4 year old girl trapped in the body of an adult singing to a reindeer who I'm pretty sure he thinks is talking back to him – how is that even logical? The guy had a serious mental health condition and I'm positive that this type of behaviour he is displaying was unheard of in the scientific field till now. "Pssst Caitlin"

"What?" I asked without taking my eyes off the screen. It's as if he is a child who needs attention all the time – well I refuse to give it to him.

"Can I get some Iced water, I'm burning up here"

"Why don't you go back to your own apartment and get some?"

"Can't – no water remember"

With a huff I pushed myself up from the sofa and headed to the kitchen to fetch his stupid iced water. I would have been better off with the stupid talking snowman instead of Barry who seems to always need to be doing something – mostly chatting and being here. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, opening the freezer to realise I have no ice. Checking Barry wasn't anywhere to be seen I grabbed the empty ice trays and filled them with water before placing my hands onto the edges, quickly freezing the water to form ice.

Checking again that Barry didn't see what I had just done; emptying half of the ice into the glass I added water and threw the other half of the ice tray back into the freezer. Swiping the glass up, I headed back to the living room, stopping in my tracks when I see Barry still sat on the sofa reading my biology textbook.

"Make yourself at home" I told him sarcastically placing his water onto the coffee table in front of him.

"What?" he looked over the top of the text book.

"I said make yourself at home" I pointed to the text book he is currently flipping through.

"I was curious; I'm a chemistry and forensics major"

"Let me guess you watched CSI and now you want to be the popular guy who finds the dead bodies?"

"No I just find it fascinating – but what does that have to do with me making myself at home?" he asked tossing he book back onto the coffee table in front of him where he got the text book from.

"first my robe, then my body wash and now my text book – what's next my toothbrush or would you like me to make up the spare bedroom for you?"

"No need, your bed is big enough for two"

"How did you-?" Raising my eyebrow at him it finally hit me what he had done. "OH MY GOD, you've been in my bedroom – that's how you got my robe" I remembered I didn't leave it on the back of the bathroom door; I left it on the end of my bed. That son of bitch has been in my bedroom. Is it too late to get party boys back because they might have hit on me but they didn't invade my home, use my robe and body wash and they certainly didn't go into my bedroom.

"I like what you've done in there – the wallpaper especially but did you know, purple is a sign of being sexually frustrated? Well that's what the magazine at the side of your bed says"

"This isn't happening" I mumbled to myself, how and why is this happening to me? "Oh great - did you also happen to read my private journal while you were in there?" I asked knowing I would happily kill him

"No I didn't but I did learn the 10 best ways to please your man in the bedroom – I don't know when that is going to be useful but hey you know what they say you learn something new every day"

"are you being serious right now" I asked feeling my jaw hit the floor as I looked at him. Plummeting back down on the sofa I buried my head into my hand, see this is why I never invite people into my home – this is why I don't talk to people because they don't know boundaries, they have no idea what they are getting into – this is the sort of thing that can get them into danger with me because they make me angry and this boy is about turn the word infuriated into a serious understatement

"But as long as we're talking about your journal, if you want to tell me where it is I'll be sure to read it before we go to bed – there is nothing better than a bedtime story" he rubbed his hands together making it look as if he is eager to get his hands on my journal.

"What are you 4?" I rolled my eyes at him,

"Even better – you could read it to me, that way you can really bring the pages to life" he ignored what I said, continuing to go off into his own world.

When my dad told me I would be drawn to people throughout my lifetime, he never warned me that the person I would be drawn to is someone like Barry. someone who is the complete opposite to me, someone who doesn't know boundaries, says the first thing that comes to mind and I mean everything little thing that comes to his mind by the sounds of it.

"Don't you have some busted up water feature to take care off?" I asked hoping he would get the hint to leave before I lose control of myself – even if it is only for a spilt second. He can't know my powers and he's dancing on the edge of discovering them with deadly consequences.

"Again not a water feature , pipe but Nah, landlord said maintenance can't get here until morning" he decided to share that information with me now, if he thinks he's getting his naked ass comfy on my sofa all night then pretty boy better rethink that plan – and fast!

"Don't you want to go to bed; you must have had a very traumatic day?" I suggested wondering if this guy will ever take a hint.

"Is that an offer?" he wiggled his eyebrows at me, turning his head to look at my bedroom door.

"WH-WH- NO" I stuttered appalled that he would even think I was suggesting that. "I mean you know, your own bed – next door"

"Relax; jeez I'm kidding no need to crack out the crazy eyes" he sat on the edge of the sofa; repositioning the robe to keep his manhood covered and grabbed the glass of ice water.

"Can't you see - I'm rolling on the floor laughing my ass off" I told him slumping into the back of the sofa, throwing my arms over my chest. I would have thought that I would want party central back next door as much as I do right now.

"We're missing the movie" he pointed to the screen, roll my eyes at him once again I tried to focus my attention on the screen but ended up glancing at him from the corner of my eyes every now and again making it impossible to focus on the screen let alone the stupid movie

* * *

The end credits rolled by, I turned to look at Caitlin only to be greeted by her peaceful sleeping form at the opposite end of the sofa. When she fell asleep I don't know but something tells me she needs it, it could be the bags under her eyes giving away that she isn't sleeping properly at the moment, deciding now is probably the time to go back to my own apartment, I stood up from the sofa silently stretching before turning to look at her one last time. Not only she is beautiful when she is awake but asleep she is just simply breathe taking. All the stress that she usually wears on her face when she is awake seems to b have vanished leaving her looking younger than she already is.

I couldn't help but notice her shaking; even in this above boiling point apartment she is still cold. Grabbing the blanket from the back of the sofa I carefully cover her, taking extra care as to not wake her. Once satisfied that she is fully covered, I slid my finger under the loose strand of hair falling over her face and brush it to one side. Just like her hand, the skin on her face is also ice cold. My hand hovered over her face I can't help but wonder how she can be so cold in this apartment.

Lightly brushing my thumb over her soft, pale almost pure white skin, the coldness bitter again my warm hand – how is it possible for someone to be this cold?

Unable to help myself, my hand caressed her skin amazed by the many feelings rushing through me – the burning cold against my hand, the softness of her skin – to the point I convinced myself her skin is the most delicate thing I have ever touched. I stood frozen by the beauty before me, in all my life I have never seen anyone like her – let alone met someone with the beauty she holds. Her platinum blonde locks framing her face which contained the most deep sapphire orbs I have ever seen in my life. Why she is doing hiding away in here I don't know but I will forever be amazed by her beauty.

She jerked in her sleep making me snatch my hand away afraid I had woken her but seconds later she was sound asleep again.

Brushing the same strand of hair out of her face again, I turned to leave but knew I couldn't just leave. Looking around me I saw a stack of sticky notes on the table beside my empty glass. Picking them up with the pen beside them I decided to leave her a note.

 _Thanks for the shower,_

 _This has been fun._

 _Maybe we can do this again sometime?_

 _I'll take a rain check on the bedtime story!_

 _Barry_

 _P.S thanks for the robe_

Smiling to myself, I pulled it from the pile and stuck it to the Frozen DVD case sitting on the coffee table. With one last look at Caitlin I headed for the door, opening it as quietly as I could and taking my time to close it, just so the click of the door could be heard. Going into my own apartment, I smiled to myself because maybe the girl next door isn't as cold hearted as I thought.

* * *

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	4. Chapter Three

"One, two, three" I mumbled under my breath as I tried to estimate the amount of time it would take before this elevator would actually get to my floor this was just great first my lecturer dumps a project on me, then one of pens explodes spilling the vibrant pink ink all over the contents of my bag and if that wasn't bad enough I am now standing soaking wet because of an unexpected thunderstorm- thank you inaccurate weather man.

Waiting for the damn elevator that now that I think about it has probably stopped working because of the Lightning sighing in defeat I scooped up my things preparing to walk the extremely long journey to my apartment that consisted of no less than 12 flights of stairs when suddenly the stupid German invented lift decided to make its grand entrance. People spewed out of its mouth and into the already busy lobby surprisingly I seemed to be the only one left the only one who had the patience enough to stick out the never ending wait for this elevator's arrival

Dragging my feet across the milky white porcelain tiles I made my way into the elevator with the sole purpose of riding this thing all the way up to my floor and barricading myself in my bedroom until the universe itself was over ... I was abruptly jolted out my reverie by the sound of somebody screaming "hold the elevator" as if on autopilot my hand jolted out to hold the doors for this random stranger who sounded just as desperate as I felt to get behind closed doors, it took me about four seconds to realize who the voice belonged to, two seconds longer than a normal human's reaction time to any situation but by the time I had realized the voice belonged to none other than Aquaman himself it was too late as Barry was already sprinting into the elevator at lightning speed .

"Heyo neighbour" Barry smiled hitting our floor number again which annoyed me, it was already lit up orange letting him know I had already pressed it. What did he think my plan was to stand in the elevator all night because I have forgotten what floor I live on?

"Hmm" I hummed in acknowledgement pulling my phone from my pocket, it might only be twelve floors but that's eleven too many to spend in a confined space with him.

Entertaining myself on my phone, clicking on anything possible, news, games, social media and any other random app I could open and close again – anything to make it look as if I was doing something so I didn't have to talk to him. I have spent the past two weeks trying to avoid him, checking the hallway every time I leave my apartment afraid he is going to ambush me the second my foot crossed over the doorway from my private sanctuary.

Looking out of the corner of my eyes at Barry to see that stupid smile on his face again – does his jaw not hurt with all the freaking smiling her does? I will admit I am very pleased to see he has more clothing on this time, much more of an improvement from a towel or my robe, both of which left little to the imagination. The same towel he left on my bedroom floor like an animal, the towel I had to launder with my own laundry and leave on his door step with yet another note, telling him to pick his towel up in the future and as he liked my kiwi body wash so much he might like my strawberry scented laundry detergent as well but then again he's probably used to his mother picking his used towel up off the floor – stupid momma's boy.

The stupid elevator came to a sudden abrupt stop causing me to stumble into Barry, his arms wrapped around me saving me from falling onto my ass. My hands fisted his black coat afraid he was going to let go after all just to see me fall to a cold painful death in the middle of a broken elevator Finding my feet again, I loosened my grip on his coat, clearing my throat while looking at his arms circling my waist.

"I think you can let go now" I looked at anything but his face, to the top left corner of the elevator to the small dirt smudge mark on the wall behind him - Anywhere but his face.

"Oh so you do talk?" he questioned sarcastically making my eyes at him.

"Only when it suits me" I shrugged looking at his arms as another hint to tell him to let go off me. "And it suits me right now – get your hands off me" I began to lose my patience with him, why can't he just do what I tell him too – typical male, hears one thing and does the complete opposite.

"Nah I'm good, maybe if I keep hold of you then you might continue talking to me, you know because this position seems to "suit you ""

"Get your hands off me and press the god damn emergency alarm before I hit it with your head"

"I'm enjoying myself, I don't know about you" the stupid smile he always wears turned into a smirk, a smirk I felt like slapping right off his face.

"Fine I'll do it myself" I began to fight against his hold to free myself.

Pushing against his hard chest I hoped to spring his arms open, there for freeing me but his grip became stronger the harder I pushed. Lifting my leg to step backwards hoping plan B would be better but instead of making contact with the floor, miss judging the space between us my knee collided with Barry's manhood the sound that escaped his quivering lips resembled somewhat the sound of something dying a slow painful death – he may as well have been, biting the inside of my cheek to stop myself laughing at the freak accidently that I had just caused I finally looked at Barry to see his face screwed up so tight – to the point I thought his face was going to swallow itself. Reaching the part where it came to snapping his legs shut for protection - personally I have always thought it a waste of time to do that after the injury had taken place but that's men for you and just as I thought I as home free from this pending conversation Barry's leg caught with mine sending us both crashing to the floor.

Screaming in surprise, preparing myself for the hard landing, my head landed on Barry's arm as he hovered above his eyes searching my face for some kind of answer as to how this happened. The shopping bags he had brought into the elevator now strewn around the small space. To say my bad day just got "slightly worse" would be considered euphemism.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked once I had come back to my senses , looking up at Barry I couldn't help but notice how green his eye are when close up. To the point I felt almost breathless as I looked into them. The way the green compliments the small speckles of brown – I could look at them for hours.

"You just kneed me in the – you know what's" he spoke through gritted teeth, his minty breath hitting my face due to the close proximity.

"Well could you maybe get your fat ass of me because you're just about crushing my lungs" I pressed my hands against his hard chest again trying to push him off me but he's just too heavy for me to move.

"I'm in pain here" he continued to hover over me, to be honest I'm surprised my knee found anything to collide, I expected him to be a Barbie doll under his skinny jeans. "And can we just make one thing crystal clear – I do not have a fat ass, I have been told many times that I have a very peachy ass – you can feel if you want too" he winked at me. Unable to help it I found myself rolling my eyes at him.

"I don't want to touch any part of you thank you very much, if I had a choice I wouldn't breathe the same air as you"

"Now you're just being mean" he pouted the so called pain he is in all of a sudden gone, which only confirms that he might be a Barbie doll under the skinny jeans he is so fond of.

"No I think you'll find I'm being honest – now get off me you Heffalump" I punctuated it with another hard shove to his shoulders.

"I'm good with this you're actually talking to me, if I get up then you'll stop talking and I am very comfortable" he lowered a little more of his weight onto my stomach, his face moving closer to mine to the point I thought he was going to kiss me. "And you know in this position we could make sweet sweet love to –"

"Finish that sentence and I'll make sure you make sweet sweet nothing to anyone every again" I lifted my hand to flick him in the forehead surprised when I didn't hear an echo which means he does have a brain but as for how big it is - that's still up for debate.

"Are you always this mean to people or is it just me?" he asked with no intentions of getting off me.

"If you get off me – I'll talk to you" I said anything to get him off me – well out of my personal space because the intensity of his eyes, the intoxicating minty smell of his breathe and the weight of him on top if me is becoming too much to handle. I need space between us and I need it – NOW!

"Promise?" he questioned his face lighting up like a child on Christmas day who had just received a brand new tub of Lego to play with.

"What are you four?"

"Just making sure you're not lying to me"

"I promise now get the hell of me fat ass"

Suddenly his weight shifted off me as he jumped back up to his feet, extending his hand to help me up. Brushing aside his hand I pulled myself up onto my feet. Using my hand to brush myself down from the dirty and who knows what else is on this floor. Pulling my phone from my pocket again I back into the corner and began to play with it once again. I might have lied to him about talking to him but he doesn't know me so I don't have to keep my promises with him. If I wanted to talk to him then I would have answered the door on the handful of times he's knocked on but I don't want to talk to him, that is the whole idea of avoiding someone – you don't talk to them and I just needed to get him off me.

I could feel his heat, I could feel myself absorbing it and it felt good – to good but he didn't look affect by it, it's as if he is immune to me, that what I crave from him – his heat, he doesn't feel it being taken away. Unlike other whom I have absorbed heat from his feels a lot stronger, so much stronger. Mix that in with his intense green eyes and his minty fresh breath my sense couldn't take it anymore – my cells felt as if they were going into overload.

Opening the news app on my phone, only to see it's still the same as the last time I looked - what happened to the news changes every second, clearly it doesn't because I've been in this elevator for the past six months, it might be a slight dramatic but that's how long it feels like up to now. How much longer I can last in here before I'm trying to climb out of the little door at the top I don't know.

My phone was suddenly taken from my hand before I had time to react, turning to look at Barry to see him looking at me phone until it disappeared out of sight and into the back pocket of his skinny jeans. He took a step backwards leaning against the wall of the elevator making it impossible for me to get it back. How he managed to get my phone without me noticing until it was too late I don't know – he must have cat like reflexes or he's a secret ninja.

"Give me my phone back" I held my hand out to him waiting for him to place the small device back into my hand, the device millions of people depends on every day.

"You lied to me – you said you would talk, this doesn't look like talking"

"I am taking just not to you." I mumbled under my breathe

"What was that? He questioned raising his eyebrow as if to dare me to repeat myself.

"People lie all the time – get used to it" I shrugged beginning to examine my nails, anything to avoid him. The sooner he realised that outside of his mother's protective bubble – everyone lies, it's the way of life. The better life would be for everyone

"You've been avoiding me for the past two weeks and I want to know why" he slid his back against the wall of the elevator so he stood opposite me, his hands behind his back, those sapphire greens searching my face for an answer.

"I haven't been avoiding you. I just haven't seen you" I defended myself. Yes another lie but what else can I do when I can't tell him the truth. That I am avoiding him because I feel a pull to him – a pull stronger than anything I have ever experienced in my life and I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing, oh and I might end up killing him.

"Spare me Caitlin. I've knocked on your door almost every day for the past two weeks"

"Maybe I wasn't in; did that ever cross your mind?" I asked because I do leave my apartment, so it's not a complete lie but it's not the truth once again then again a white lie never hurt anyone – right?

"Caitlin the walls between us are very thin. Trust me. I know when you're home. So just tell me the truth you've just been avoiding me like the plague – and I don't know why I mean I only wanted to be your friend is that so much to ask?"

"Have you thought that I don't want to be your friend?"

"Why not – is it because I used your body wash, robe and went into your bedroom?"

"No – well yes but no. I don't know. I just don't do the friends thing" I did tell him part of the truth so that is progress, I don't do the friends thing because people who get close to me die, it's just the way things are. I've learnt to live with that fact and I don't want to curse him just like all the others. I'm dangerous to be around and he should stay away. I am only avoiding him for his own safety. "Did you press that damn alarm?" I changed the subject, he said he wanted to talk – he didn't say what about so I can change the subject if I want to.

"I forgot" he replied making me bite my lower lip to stop myself from ending his life on the spot. "I was in a lot of pain remember"

"PRESS. THE. GOD. DAMN. ALARM" I shouted through gritted teeth, we've been stuck in here for god knows how long and no one knows about it. We could have been in here all night.

* * *

Five hours, five of the longest hours of my life I have spent inside this freaking elevator listening to Barry go on and on and on and on – well you get the point. He doesn't shut up! Like ever. If he isn't talking then he will start singing to himself.

Around an hour ago I started to regret having nothing to eat at lunch because I'm starving, it feels as if my stomach is trying to eat itself and I can only hope we're not going to be in here much longer. When Barry finally pressed the emergency line and spoke to someone, they said they would have us out of here as sooner as possible. I'm now beginning to believe that was a lie because they can't be working as fast as they can to get us out of here if we have heard nothing from anyone for the past five hours – sorry I have heard from someone – Barry.

Curling up into the corner of the elevator, I brought my knee's up to my chest and hugged them anything to try and warm myself up, by now it must be dark out and that means the temperature is dropping and with it already being freezing outside I can only imagine how cold it is now and it's only going to get colder in here. Looking at Barry who remained seated in front of him, drumming on his legs I wanted nothing more than to be out of this elevator and inside my apartment where it warm, I have food but most importantly I have – NO Barry.

"Are you cold?" He asked his eyes roaming over my shaking body as I tried to roll myself into the smallest ball possible.

"A little" I looked down at my feet, embarrassed that he has caught me shaking. I thought I was doing a better job at hiding it but it can't be if Julie Andrews noticed.

He pushed himself onto his knees and crawled towards me until he was kneeling before me. I knotted my eyebrows wondering what he was doing – was his plan to hug me or something because if it is then he can crawl back to his corner right this second. "Here, take this" he shrugged his coat from his shoulders and handed it to me.

"I don't want it" I shook my head; I didn't want to take anything from him. I'm more than happy to sit here and shiver.

"You're cold just take the coat. I don't need it"

"I don't want anything from you. Keep your damn coat and get back in your corner"

"I know we don't exactly see eye to eye all the time but I was raised correctly. If a woman is cold give her your coat, always hold the door open and so on" he tried shoving the coat into my hands yet again. "Just take the damn coat, if my mom found out I left you to freeze she would freeze me"

"If I take the coat will you go back to your corner?" I asked because if it got him as far away from me as possible then I will happily take it.

"Yes" the coat was pushed onto me again.

Sighing I sat forwards, taking the coat and wrapping it around my shoulder, Barry's scent intoxicating my sense, without realising it I found myself cuddling further into the warm coat. The feeling of the coat being almost an invisible barrier around me, providing me with the little warmth I needed. "Thank you" I looked at Barry with a smile, the first smile I have ever probably given him. Sitting up again I slipped my arms into the sleeves and zipped it up to my chin, for the first time in a long time I felt protected.

"How much longer do you think we'll be stuck in here?" I asked checking my watch for probably the 1000 time knowing if I am to be stuck in here much longer with Justin Bieber then I'm going to lose my mind. At least if I had my phone which I don't because Barry still refused to give it back I would probably have ordered take out but I don't think they deliver to broken elevators so there goes that plan

"I don't know, hopefully not long – why?" Barry looked over at me from his corner of the elevator.

"I didn't have lunch so I'm getting a little hungry" I told him honestly cuddling further into the big warm coat. Maybe I should keep the coat as is really warm and cosy – it is only fair he did take my robe so I should take his coat.

"I see" Barry sucked in a deep lung full of air through his teeth, pulling one of the many shopping bags he has towards him. "I have fruit loops"

"You're a fruit loop"

"Do you want them or not?" he looked over at me, ignoring my comment

"Yes" I pushed myself up to meet him in the middle of the elevator. "Give them here" I snatched them out of his hand and quickly scuttled back to my corner. Opening the box and inner packaging I dug my hand into the box, pulling out a handful and popping them into my mouth – resisting the urge to moan at the taste of food. Normally I wouldn't accept things like this from people but it's true what they say desperate times call for desperate measures.

"If you're thirsty I have orange juice or beer" he continued searching through his groceries, almost surprised at what he had bought earlier in the day. Did he just forget he went to the store or something?

"I'll take the beer" I told him honestly because I needed it and fast.

"They'll be warm by now – we have been in here for almost six hours"

"I don't care… if I'm going to be stuck in here with you for much longer then I'm going to need a beer or six" I placed the cereal beside me and crawled over to where he sat, taking the beer from his hand I went back to my corner, twisting the cap off I tossed it back at him, I wanted the beer not the trash that comes with it. "I swear not even your grandma could deal with you and your 'Youness' for this long – while sober"

"That's not true, there was this one time when I was five when grandma wasn't drunk –"

"And your point is?" I cut him off wondering why we're sharing freaking family stories, do I look like the person who care about when he was five? If I do then I can promise you that I didn't mean to look interested.

"She sent me to play outside – in the rain. My mom wasn't happy I had a cold for a week after that day – I guess Grandma is better of wasted, I get money instead of a cold" he began to talk once again making me wish I had of just kept my mouth shut and slowly starved myself, let alone bring up his grandmother but I was I supposed to know it was going to set him off reminiscing about the past – but I don't blame his grandmother, if I had the choice I would throw him out of the elevator, actually no – I would throw myself out and leave him in here to die with his fruit loop and brutal fruit

"How lovely, can I get another beer?" I asked shaking the now empty bottle at him.

"You drank that already?"

"I had to listen to your story didn't I?" I raised my eyebrow at him, wondering why the hell he is slacking with the beer.

He smirked at me "well would you look at that looks like little Caity can hold her drink after all " I continued to stare at him with a polka face "no , because you're still holding my drink " I said gesturing to my new desired object of affection that full can of intoxicatingly relief that he was still not handing over to me

Picking up his bag, he moved across the elevator and sat down beside me, turning to look at him I gave him a look that said "What the hell are you doing" only to receive one of his trademark smiles in return.

"It's going to be hard to share if we're sitting with a mile and a half between us" he dug his hand into the box of fruit loops.

"Move back over there and I'll throw them at you – like they do to animals in the zoo" he opened another beer and handed it to me.

"Is it really that hard for you to be near me?" he took the empty bottle from me, sliding it back into empty space in the six-pack. "I know we got off on the wrong food but maybe we could use this experience as a fresh start, we don't know how much longer we're going to be in here and it would be nice if we could get along and make this whole situation a little more pleasurable – Hi I'm Barry Allen I live next door"

I gave him a look wondering if he is being serious right now but the way he looked at me told me he's being completely serious. Sighing I decided to play along. "Caitlin Snow – please don't open my mail"

"You're still not over that – I thought the whole idea of this was to start over"

"We are I'm just giving you some neighbourly advice" I shrugged taking a sip from my beer. "And by the way I still don't have any sugar"

"Noted" clinking the top of his bottle against mine, he dug his other hand into the box of fruit loops throwing a handful into my face.

"HEY – we could be here for who knows how long, stop wasting the food" I chided him

"I bought it" he shot back in defence.

"And I'm eating it, stop wasting it"

"So you're that kind of girl who gets cranky when she's hungry?"

"Shut up" I ordered narrowing my eyes at him. "I knew I should have taken the stairs" I said under my breath with a shake of the head.

"You would have preferred to walk up twelve flights of stairs instead of being here with me?"

"Compared to being here with you right now – twelve flights of stairs and burning lungs sound so much more pleasant" I shot him the best smile I could, I know he wants us to start over but I can't do it. I can't ignore everything he has already done; I can't move past that but most importantly I can't be his friend like he wants me to be, it's too risky Barry was infuriating he could probably drive Ghandi to buy an Ak47 and I've already got enough blood on my hands to last a lifetime

* * *

I backed him up against the wall so we were now standing chest to chest usually this kind of proximity between Barry would have an effect on me but not this time Not when he is the only thing standing between me and that beer . He's already had 6 and a half it's only fair he lets me have this one but as per usual nothing with Barry Allen comes easy you have to work for it and this time my challenge came in the form of him standing in front of me with that signature smirk on his face and MY beer held securely above my head in his right hand I tried jumping up to get it but I knew that even with heals on I still didn't stand a chance

"Give it to me" I threatened grinding my teeth

"Or what lil miss perfect? You won't speak to me for another two weeks? Wouldn't make a difference " he bit back but I wasn't one to give up that easily I moved to step on his shoes to try and at least hopefully use them as some sort of leverage but he was too sneaky tightening his grasp on my hip – I didn't even notice him snaking his arm around me

He pulled me flush against him reeling me in with his alluring gaze, I gasped at the sudden contact and that seemed to do it for him, in one fluid motion he flipped us so I was now the one trapped between him and the wall of the elevator I don't know if it was the alcohol or the fact that I could practically feel his perfectly sculpted figure through his shirt but suddenly I was grabbing for the buttons of his button down and his hands had already found the zipper on my dress...

Barry's hands touched everywhere – God knows what happened to that beer bottle, with my dress out of the way he now has full access to the expanse of my back .he took his time sucking on my pulse point and marking every visible patch of skin he could find, hoisting me up so I could wrap my legs around his torso as he continued to grind against me allowing just enough friction but still far from enough. I clutched onto his hair as his lips met mine in a searing hot kiss that had me gripping into anything I could for support If I thought his tongue was working magic tracing patterns on my skin it was being freaking Houdini now the kiss was needy and passionate and if I'd thought my heart was skipping a couple of beats before it was most definitely working overtime as if pounded in my chest so loud in my ears that I'm pretty sure Barry could hear it at this stage, I turned my head granting him better access and for once in my life allowing somebody else to take the lead his skin was lightning hot against my ice cold complexion.

I chucked against his lips as I was reminded me of a quote I came across "The hot and cold are both so intense but put 'em together it just makes sense" typical of me. Here I am straddling a very attractive guy while he practically vandalizes my skin and I'm thinking of quotes by a talking snow man in the interim. Barry pulled away when he felt me giggle into his mouth

"What's so funny Snow?" He questioned with his signature smirk and raised eyebrow.

"Hmm nothing, just shut up and kiss me you idiot " I said pulling him back. He smirked as our lips made contact again he sucked on my lower lip urging me to part them when suddenly I felt him shiver "What's wrong?" I asked pulling away

"Nothing. I'm sure it's nothing. Don't stop" he whispered against my jawline before capturing my lips once again we kissed for a few more seconds until it finally hit me. I was freezing him maybe not on purpose but I just went full Elsa on him

"Oh my god Barry!" I screamed as I watched his cold lifeless body fall to the ground "Barry ..." The air around us turned cold as I lost control of my abilities it seemed as if the world around us seized to exist as I cradled the body in my arms desperately trying to find a pulse point the temperature in the elevators had probably easily reached absolute zero by now. The only sound audible was one of cables rattling – wait rattling? And the next moment my entire life flashed before my eyes as the elevator went into free fall, every single unrealistic depressing playing in my head at one hindered miles a minute as I anticipated the death. I screamed for the both of us maybe it was for the best this way I would not have to live my life knowing I had killed yet another innocent person closing my eyes I waited for death

"BARRY" the words left my mouth in a blood curdling scream as I felt the tears roll down my face, the heat against my skin a welcome surprise.

"Caitlin calm down, you're ok. You just fell asleep" Barry's arm wrapped around me holding me close to his warm body as my head continued to rest on his shoulder.

"Don't touch me" I jumped to my feet, it might have only have been a dream – well nightmare but it felt real, more real than anything else in my life.

Moving to the other side of the elevator I looked at him, wishing we still had some beer's left because I need a drink and orange juice isn't going to cut it. Barry quickly followed, his arms reaching out to me as I just about clawed at the door for it to open. I need to get out of here; I need to get away from Barry, to put as much space between us as possible but within the small space of the elevator I had nowhere to hide.

"Caitlin you need to calm down, you're going to cause yourself to have a panic attack" Barry grabbed my arms, pushing me back against the wall of the elevator, his eyes staring into mine as he tried to hold me in place while I tried fighting against him, it's the dream all over again – him pinning me in place. It's coming true. The nightmare is coming true.

His hands went to the zipper of his coat as he slowly began to unzip it, "Wh-wh-what are you doing?" I asked my hands shaking as I tried to stop him from undressing me, the nightmare becoming even more a reality.

"Removing the coat from your body, you need to calm down and take deep breathes and this coat can't be helping" he finished unzipping the coat, sliding his hands onto my shoulders to brush it from me, allowing it to fall into a puddle by my feet.

"Let go of me, you have to let go of me" I said between strangled breathes.

"I can't do that – not while you're like this" he shook his head, his hands moving to my waist, his lean body pressed against mine to get a better hold of me. His lips ghosting over mine – the alcohol on his breath hitting my face, to the point I thought he was going to kiss me. Placing my hands onto his chest I push him backwards and this time he allowed me to, his hands moving again, pressing against the wall of the elevator to box me in.

"I don't want to hurt you" I mumbled loud enough for him to hear.

Relief flooded my cold body as the elevator dinged and the doors finally opened – conveniently on our floor. Ducking out of his hold I collected my purse and ran to my apartment without looking back, slamming the door behind me. Diving onto the sofa I buried my head into the cushions on the sofa and screamed. I'm getting to close to him.

After dragging myself of the sofa to switch on the coffee maker it finally beeped signalling that my macchiato was ready , about damn time I was about to fall asleep just from waiting for the hot cup of java.

"Marshmallows, chocolate or cinnamon?" I debate out loud with myself. I silently shook my head in disapproval if chef could see me now he would probably throw the cup at my head, 19 years spent lecturing me on the delicate balance of coffee only for me to throw all rules to the wind and every topping imaginable to man into a strong creamy blend at the first opportunity I got but quite frankly I couldn't care less. I had a nightmare and that means the closest thing to hot cocoa.

I swiped the packet of pink fluffy pillow treats off the top of my refrigerator, fetched the sprinkle nuts from the door pocket of my fridge after spending a good ten minutes having a one way stare down with the clearly unreachable can of chocolate sprinkles that rested tauntingly on the very stop shelf of my highest cupboard(and hopping around a couple times trying to grab it ) , I sighed in defeat facing the harsh reality that alas I was vertically challenged dragging the dining Area chair across the porcelain tiles I placed it in front of my counter and attempted to climb up to get my prize Leaping into the counter with the help of the chair I adjusted my weight so that there was little to no chance of me losing my balance .

I just about fell as the sound of my door bell echoed throughout the silent apartment scaring the living daylights out of me. Holding a hand to my chest I practically ran to answer the door "WHAT NOW?!" I yelled out into the deserted hallway, realizing that I probably looked like a mad woman talking to Casper the annoying ghost I scratched my nails against the door frame preparing to shut the maple oak closed once again when I noticed it a little FROZEN gift bag sitting on my doorstep. Allowing curiosity to get the better off me I picked it up digging into the contents of it. Inside I found fluffy white robe adorned with sparkly blue snowflakes "Barry..." I thought to myself rolling my eyes not being able to wait any longer to be enveloped in warmth I put the robe on stuffing my hands in the pocket to find a scrap of paper and my phone. Heading back inside, I closed the door and tossed my phone onto the sofa while opening the folded piece of scrap paper to see Barry's messy handwriting scribbled across the paper.

 _Don't be a stranger,_

 _I hope this keeps you warm my Ice Queen._

 _Your elevator drinking buddy – Barry Allen_

 _P.S blueberry pancakes for breakfast unless you prefer choc chip – join me if you want too_

 _My door is always open to – YOU!_

I broke down crying barely making it to the couch

"No – no – no. This can't be happening. I can't be attracted to him. I don't want to like him – I CANNOT like him and if that dream was any indication that not only can't I control my urges around him but I apparently also cause elevators to crash. No. I can never let Barry in again EVER!

"That's what I get for accepting room temperature beer" I mumbled to myself, wrapping the robe around myself tighter.

* * *

 **And there you have chapter 4 – the pain that it was to write.**

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	5. Chapter Four

"Two ice-creams please" I said to the perky brunette behind the counter. It has been a whole month since 'the great elevator escapade' and before five minutes ago I had not seen Caitlin since then. I allowed my eyes to drift over to the blonde haired beauty who was sitting alone on a bench with her head buried into a book

Thanking the lady I snuck up behind the ice queen holding the two ice cream cones in my hands "What you reading there Elsa?" She visibly jumped

"God Barry – Don't you know to never sneak up on a person while they are reading?" She chastised with a frown

"No but like I said before, you know what they say you learn something new every day" I stated matter of factly moving to stand in front of the bench

"I bought you something. A peace offering" I dramatically got down to my knees offering the cone to her like if they were the Crown Jewels.

"Allen. Get up! People are starting to stare" she hissed at me with a slight chuckle

"Nope not until you accept my offering" I said unmoving from my spot I was planted too.

"Fine fine – I'll take the cone. Just get up drama queen" swiping the ice cream from my hand she used her other hand to reach down and pull me to my feet and towards the bench

"Thank you for the vanilla" she mumbled nibbling at the cone slightly and carefully avoiding the ice cream itself.

"What's wrong" I asked "don't you like it?" Caitlin looked up at me in alarm as if she had been caught doing something punishable only by death.

"What? No I like ice-cream, who doesn't like ice-cream?" I shot a strange look before opting to lick off my own ice-cream cone

"I was talking about the vanilla" I said with a chuckle

"Hmm ..." she barely acknowledged me, her head still glued to the page like grizzly glue

"Caitlin!" I said raising my voice slightly causing her ice -cream to slide off the cone and drop to the floor. "Oh my god Caitlin I'm so sorry. Wait here I'll buy you another one" I apologized already jumping up to get another ice-cream.

"No no it's fine Barry. I'm on a diet anyway" I looked at her sceptically, not at all believing that somebody with a figure like hers would ever dream of trying to lose it. "I already had one earlier on – gotta think about them hips." Boy would I know, those hips are all I've been thinking about since I met her four months ago.

"Your hips?" I asked turning fully to face her.

"Yeah – You know what they say, a moment on the lips a lifetime on the hips." Ugh there she goes with those hips again and what I would give to learn the curves of those hips, focus Barry focus you can't let her distract you – Stupid lingerie, God I really shouldn't have gone through her mail.

"Hmm" I hummed dismissing her argument "So you never did tell me what you were reading there" I stated trying to snatch the book off her lap

"Don't touch that" she punctuated every word with a book-thump.

"Ouch! Why so secretive Elsa?" I prodded knowing it was beginning to annoy her.

"Don't call me that either" she snapped shaking her head.

"What? Elsa? Why not?" I complained.

"Just don't ... Great and now you're reading my book ... DON'T LOSE MY BOOKMARK!" I used the distraction as an opportunity to grab the book straight out of her hands and stood up on the bench to hold it out of her reach and began to read the first paragraph on the page.

" _Why didn't you tell me there was danger? Why didn't you warn me? Ladies know what to guard against, because they read novels that tell them of these tricks, but I never had the chance of discovering in that way; and you did not help me_... I feel you Mr..." I flipped to the cover of the book trying to locate the author's name.

"Thomas Hardy" Caitlin supplied the authors name.

"I feel you Mr Hardy" I feigned sadness placing my hand across my chest.

"I've already read that part" The platinum blonde rolling her eyes at me.

"Well, where are you up to?" I asked still holding the book high up and out of her reach.

"It doesn't matter, just give it back before you lose my page" she said stepping on my toes trying to obviously earn her some sort of leverage

"No way, I want to find the part where she avoids him for a month" Caitlin's eyes were downcast as she bit on her lip

"I haven't been avoiding you" she whispered

"Sorry what was that?" I asked knowing full well what she had said

"I haven't been avoiding you!" She repeated. Much louder this time

"Oh really? So why haven't I seen you?"

"Maybe because we keep missing each other"

"Nope- you've been avoiding me"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't informed that I had to check in with you everyday"

"Well then... Consider yourself informed"

"Really? You're not my PA! If I wanted an annoying voice telling me what to do, I would just double tap this button and ask Siri" she shot back in response.

"But Siri is just another female companion" I shot back not completely understanding what Siri had to do with any of this.

"Not true! I can choose the gender and he also comes in Australian, Spanish and British. I'm sucker for accents."

"Oh is that so?" I asked in the most cliché British accent I have ever heard, Caitlin's death glare drilled into the side of my head

"Never do that again" she deadpanned

"Why not? Maybe an Italiano accenta suits a me a better" I argued in an Italian accent so horrible it that would make pizza cry

"I'm walking away now" she said steeping down from the bench we were still standing on.

"So I guess you won't be wanting this back?" I said whilst moving to sit down on the bench; casually holding up her book.

"Oh come on!" Caitlin complained cantering away back over to me

"This is getting real old Allen! – first my phone, then the be… wait never mind … Now you have my book, give me back my book!" And with that she stuffed into her purse and then proceeded to walk away from me – probably for another month or so.

"What? No goodbye hug" Caitlin turned to me with a sickly smile on her face

"Aww come here Barry" she cooed while approaching me – I should have known it was a trap, using her now unoccupied hand she shoved my half eaten ice -cream cone onto my face.

"I hope you're going to lick this off me Snow!" The ice queen just rolled her eyes in response

"If you want to be licked then I suggest buying a puppy. You dog" she bit back throwing a pack of wet wipes to my head "First of OUCH, second no goodbye let alone a hug? You're hurting my feelings Snow" I pouted

"Get your mommy to kiss them better Allen"

"If you must know she is about 3000 miles away from here and I would rather you kiss it better" I smirked knowing I have spent many night dreaming and fantasising about them lips of hers dancing over my skin.

"Get lost Allen! Just use the damn things so I can put it back into my bag and walk away dramatically" she huffed impatiently tapping her foot on the grass while looking at her nails, I smiled at her lame attempt to look as if she had something better to do, we both know she wants my company or else she would have walked away by now.

"Fine fine Miss Bossy Boots" I mumbled under my breath carefully removing a grapefruit scented wipe from the pack.

"And now I'm hungry, nice going Snow. I'm craving grapefruit - I DON'T EVEN LIKE GRAPEFRUIT" I hollered at her.

"Hmm" she said with a thoughtful expression crossing her features "craving you says? Oh my god. Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? How about a foot rub or would you prefer practicing your breathing techniques – and before you ask. NO. I will NOT be your birthing partner."

I groaned in annoyance "maybe I'll take you up on a back rub instead I saw some aromatic scents in your bedroom that I've been dying to try and as for the breathing partner. Do I look like a seahorse to you?" I glared at her accusingly.

"Is the seahorse an option? – Because if it is... I'll take the seahorse over you. Wait... Will it talk as much as you do? Never mind, the seahorse in the little mermaid only had like 2 scenes. I'm gonna stick with the seahorse" she said tapping her index finger to her chin.

"You would pick an animation over me?" I gasped in mock offense

"Yes, because unlike some people. The seahorse doesn't open my mail, use my body wash, contaminate my robe or go into my bedroom and then think some cutesy snowflake robe is going to make up for it..."

"Oh yeah that reminds me, did you like the robe?" I interrupted her long rant.

"It might be super warm and cosy but that's beside the point – goodbye Herald" it took me a full minute before I could even register what had just happened. Ok she does like the robe, she might not have said it in those words but I'm taking it as she loves my gift almost as much as she loves me – well secretly loves me, she really is one complicated fortune cookie.

"So I take it you liked the robe ..." I trailed jogging to catch up to her.

She spun around in one quick motion "Why? Are you planning of contaminating that one too?" She glared at me.

"Well somebody had to try it on and make sure it was comfortable for you" if even at all possible her glare seemed to intensify at this.

"Relax! I'm kidding" I clarified raising my hands in mock surrender partially because I hadn't and mainly because she was petrifying me. "Besides I already know your size." Now I was her turn to raise her perfectly groomed eyebrow at me

"And how exactly do you know that? Wait, do I even want to know?" she asked her eyes turning darker as her death glare returned, her hands finding their place on her hips.

"Probably not" I started before I she interrupted me again

"YOU WENT THROUGH MY CLOSET?!" she yelled loud enough for the other students to her, now they probably think I'm cross dressing or something.

I hadn't! I'd actually gotten the size off her lovely lace thing I however did manage to catch a glimpse of her wardrobe, only because she had left it open ... I would tell her the truth but watching her burn up in fury was just so much more fun.

"Yeah and by the way you should really sort it out – it's in quite the state and I'm not talking about 'the united states of organization', I could clean it up for you. If you would like" I offered my services to her, one of my many talents being closet organization, I have many systems ranging from colour to season and I can even go in alphabetical order of designer.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY CLOSET, ALLEN!" She barked at me.

"Ok if you insist but by the way. You own an unhealthy amount of blue. I swear it's like 50 shades of blue in there" ok maybe I did go through her closet – but only a little, I was curious as to Miss Snow's style.

"Well Catriona always said l looked best in royal blue"

"Who's Catriona?" I asked feeling more confused than curious.

"None of your business" Yelled Caitlin her anger moving to the next level at one simple question. I think it's clear to say Miss Snow has a little temper on her and I like it. Who doesn't like a fiery lady?

"No way, is that your other name for Siri? Or is that what you call that thing in your night stand draw?"

"What thing in my night stand?" She queried looking just as confused as I felt. "The only thing in my nightstand is ..." And in that moment it seemed to click "YOU DUG THROUGH MY NIGHT STAND?"

"Yes I did but judging by your reaction. I don't think we're talking about the same thing"

"YOU TOUCHED MY FLASHLIGHT?!" She exclaimed. Wait? What? I've seen many flashlights in my day and I'm pretty sure a flashlight is not shaped like that.

"Idiot! My lingerie was in that stand" like I didn't know that.

"You name your lingerie?!" I deadpanned.

"What? No? Who names their lingerie?"

"Clearly you do" I shot back "and quite the interesting French names too" Caitlin just walked faster

"Oh my god Barry, Just... Bye" Seeing that she was running away from me I decided to stop with the antics long enough to convince her to me take her out somewhere and it seemed luck was on my side as our walk ended right outside my favourite café.

"Why, where are you going?" I asked curiously wondering where she is trying to run off to in such a hurry

"I need Alcohol if you're insistent on following me but seeing as This is neither the time nor place to get drunk, a coffee with an extra shot will have to do for now" she began marching up the three small steps to the entrance, pulling at the door handle with that she forcefully opened the door, slipping in before allowing the glass door to slam shut in my face "that was rude " I yelled out to no one in particular

With a sigh I followed closely behind her, stepping into the almost empty café but I didn't expect it to be that busy at four in the afternoon, most people are in their final lectures of the day or are back home enjoying something a lot stronger than coffee. Heading to the counter where two young barista's looked more than happy to see us stood.

"What can I get you" Pinkie and perky asked in unison from behind the counter both armed and ready with black marker pens.

"Large Americano with an extra shot extra cream and a blueberry muffin please" both Caitlin and I asked for in unison , only for us to both to turn to look at each other wondering what the hell has just happened. How can we both have ordered the same thing?

Still caught in a stare off, we both handed our money over while retaining eye contact with each other, we might not agree on most things but I think we have finally found the one thing we might have in common, our taste in coffee. It's not the worst thing to have in common with someone; I'll never get her coffee order wrong that is for sure.

Making our way down to the end of the counter in sync, we collected our order and moved over to one of the empty tables. Finding a table by the window to the side of the café, away from the other people enjoying their afternoon tea break I took the seat opposite Caitlin.

Her eyes met mine over the table as she began to stir sugar into her cup , her lips slightly pouted, eyes narrowing with her head tilted to the side as her spoon clinked against the side of her mug as she looked at me, almost as if trying to look into my soul, trying to work me out. If anything I should be looking at her like that. I'm an open book where as she on the other hand is the one who always wants to shut me out, wants to avoid me for weeks or a month at a time. I've tried my hardest to be her friend but EVERYTIME I climb up a ladder there always seems to be a long snake waiting for me in the next box for me to slide down and further away from Caitlin I don't know what is wrong with her

She comes off as this cold hearted person but I know under the sheet of ice she is protecting herself with there is a version of Caitlin who is wants to let people in – who wants to let me in but I need to know how to make that happen. I want to know how to melt that ice surrounding her to get to the warm caring person I know she really is after all I know an act when I see one and everything about Caitlin tells me the person sat opposite me now is a fake, this isn't the real her and all I want to do is know who she really is. - is that such a crime?

I don't know if she feels it but every time I am with her I feel this connection between us, to the point I find myself drawn to her like a moth to a flame, unable to keep my of any distance from her, every time she tells me to stay away it makes me want to be around her more. I even managed to convince myself that the first time I met her, someone placed an elastic band around the two of us and the more she tried to pull away from me, the harder we snapped back together again.

Adding two sugars and one extra for luck- read that in a magazine somewhere, I mixed my drink and looked at Caitlin to see the same look on her face, making me even more curious as to what she is thinking about – is she thinking about me? Or is she plotting a way to kill me and dispose of my body without getting caught?

Unable to hold it in any longer, I slammed my spoon onto the table beside my mug. "Why are you staring at me?" I asked. The curiosity alone enough to drive me insane without her sapphire blues piercing through my soul

"I'm trying you work you out" she smiled a sickly smile which sent a shiver down my spine.

"What do you mean?"  
"I want to know why after all the times I have told you to stay away from me, you continue, persist to chase me down, why did you follow me here and why you're still here when I've made it crystal clear that I am not interested in being your friend?" lifting her mug to her lips, she drank a good two thirds of the rich coffee in one long gulp, unaffected by the temperature of the scalding hot liquid

"You keep saying you don't want to hurt me but you're already doing that by pushing me away" I informed her taking casual sips of my coffee, unlike Caitlin who is downing her Java as if it is going out of fashion.

"Believe me it better than the pain I can cause you, you'll thank me on day for pushing you away"

"If you're scared to break my heart then I'm ok with that. We've all bounced back from heartbreak after a break up. You of all people should know that"

"What gives you the impression that I would know?"

"Well you're ordering lingerie and reading magazines on how to please a man in bed which means you must have been or still are in a relationship"

"I haven't been in a relationship since I was sixteen, I ordered the lingerie because I find it comfortable to sleep in if you must know and the magazine is because I wanted to read one of the articles in it – but I shouldn't have to explain myself to you. What I order and what I read has nothing to do with you. You're just a guy who lives next door and who should have stayed there"

"Sixteen?" I asked wondering if I heard her correctly, I mean just sitting across the table from her I know I have already had about four not so holy fantasies about her and those long milky legs how she had managed to stay single for so long I don't know, I'm sure boys must throw themselves at her feet on a daily basis, hell the first time I spoke to her I felt like getting down on my knees begging her to give me a chance. So how or why has she been single for so long.

"Yes sixteen, I don't have time for relationships – of any kind."

"Wow, I was in a relationship before I moved here. She broke up with me the morning I was leaving, turned out she was just using me for sex and as I was moving away she had no use for me anymore. We had sex the morning I was leaving and when we were done she got dressed, broke up with me and left" I laughed at the thought of what happened. I wasn't laughing the morning it happened, I thought she spent the night with me to come to the airport with me to say goodbye – how wrong was I?

"Have you ever heard the expression 'too much information'?" Picking at her blueberry muffin, she glanced across the table at me. Her sapphire eyes framed by her dark lashes as she looked at me from under them.

"I thought we were in love, we have been 'together' for two years and I thought I loved her but her breaking up with me didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. I guess it's because I finally saw her for who she really was" I sighed, two years of my life spent with someone who only wanted me for sex, maybe deciding to switch school for my final year was the best idea I ever had because I was thinking of asking her to marry me once we both finished school – lucky break for me I guess.

After what happened the morning I was leaving to move here, I was in a terrible mood because everything I thought was right turned out to be wrong. Looking back now I'm not surprised really, we had nothing in common – hell Mandy didn't know anything about me apart from when my birthday is because she wanted to look like the best girlfriend in the world for remembering it so it really was a lucky break for me because I could have spent the rest of my life married to someone who I thought I was in love with and who I believed to have loved me.

To say any feelings I had for Mandy disappeared the moment I lay eyes on Caitlin would be an understatement , I might have only seen the back of her head on my first day here but when I finally saw her for real the day I opened her mail, the moment she opened the door and her blue eyes scanned my body, it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of my lungs – she took my breath away and I thought that only happened in movies, how wrong was I? Mandy who?

"I get it, you have a tragic love story – boohoo for you" she rolled her eyes at me, clearly not invested in what I had to say. "Get over it, we all have hard lives, build a bridge with your 5 year old Lego blocks and get over it"

"You haven't been in a relationship since you were sixteen – how would you know?"

"Because I know what it is like to lose someone you think will always be there for you" she looked down at her mug, avoiding eye contact with me. So now not only is she trying to avoid me all together, but when I finally meet up with her she now feels as if mere eye contact would cause us harm. What does she think her eyes are going to start shooting lasers at me or something? Realizing that she was not opening up to me anytime soon – at least it was progress.

"My parents used to love these" I picked at one of the blueberries at the tip of my muffin to change the subject because she obviously doesn't like the current conversation topic we have and the last thing I want to do is send her back into hiding again for two months this time. I swear sometimes I wonder if she goes into hibernation or something. Staring across the table again at Caitlin she finally looked up at me.

"I'm so sorry I didn't know but I know how you feel" she replied playing with gold charm bracelet on her left wrist.

"No no no – my parents aren't dead if that is what you think I was implying" I quickly cleared that up because from what she said that is what it sounds like she thinks I mean.

"You said they used to love then, there for I thought they had passed away" she shot back looking at me in shock.

"No for my mom's birthday, my dad and I would go to this little bakery where I'm from and get three blueberry muffins. We'd then take them back home to my mom who was in bed then we would sit on the bed and eat them. I guess they got sick of eating them" I shrugged because when I was around thirteen we stopped doing it as my mom no longer enjoyed them, so I came to the conclusion that she doesn't like them anymore and she is sick of them

"How cute but I didn't know we are filming an episode of 'this is your life"

"You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit –"

"But the highest form of intelligence" she cut me off that smile coming back to her face knowing she has just got the upper hand on me.

"Wait – hold on" I looked up at her finally realising what she had just let slip .

"What?"

"Your parents are dead?"

Once again her gaze fell to the golden bracelet on her wrist which told me everything I needed to know but raised more questions That needed answering. I'm not going to pry about it because if she wanted to tell me or talk about it then she would, I'm not going to push her on it because from the look on her face is it a very painful time in her life, that is clear for me to see. I finally feel as if she is warming to me, she's allowing me little glimpses of her life and I don't want to push my luck by making her talk about it when she clearly doesn't want to.

"I was sixteen when they died" she began to talk, her gaze still cast downwards to her charm bracelet. "My dad died first then my mom not long after him"

"Car crash or something?" I felt the world tumbling from my mouth even after I told myself I wasn't going to ask her about it

"Something" was the only thing she replied which made me curious as to how both her parents died within a small amount of time. What reasons could there be for it? "They used to get me a new charm each year on my birthday; each one has a different meaning"

"Such as?" I asked wanting to know, she wants to share and I'm more than happy to listen as she is allowing me a glimpse at her life.

"Snowflake for my surname Snow that was the first one I got" she began pointing them out to me, placing her arm across the table for me to see them more clearly. "I got the infinity symbol to represent that we will always be a family forever – no matter what. The butterfly I received on my thirteenth birthday as my dad said, to represent me transforming from a girl to a woman. The horseshoe for luck in life" I nodded to show I was listening to her knowing if I spoke then she could close up on me again. I sat and listened as she continued to tell me about the others.

I made a mental note to do the same thing for my daughter if I am lucky enough to have one in the future because from what I'm hearing from Caitlin, she was very close to her parents and losing them must have hurt a lot. I can only imagine what I would do if I ever lost both of mine suddenly or at such a young age.

From the corner of my eyes I saw Caitlin nudge the pate containing the blueberry muffin away from him, wondering what is wrong with her I continued to study her, now being my turn to try and work her out.

Everything I have found out about her doesn't add up ,she orders lingerie and has sensual oils and not to mention the magazine article that all pointed to her having a boyfriend which I thought was the reason for her pushing me away, but it all turned out to be false. She hasn't had a boyfriend since she was sixteen the same time as her parents died; does that have something to do with her not dating and for pushing people away because she thinks she is going to lose them as well if she allows them to get to know the real her?

Nothing about Caitlin makes sense anymore, normally I am a good judge of character and people in general but for some reason I can't seem to work her out, everything I think I know gets questioned whenever she reveals small pieces of her life.

"What's wrong?" I asked pointing to the blueberry muffin she was happily picking at before but now it's as if the sight of it is making her sick.

"Lost my appetite" she gave me a crooked smile, taking smaller sips from her mug.

"Ok, can I have it – I love these things, they remind me of home" I smiled licking my lips.

"Knock yourself out Allen" she pushed the plate across the table to me.

"Thank you but I need the bathroom, watch my muffins" I winked pushing away from the table and heading to the bathroom at the back end of the small café.

"No you can't have them, they are Barry's and he is looking forwards to eating them. Put them back right now you little shits" I turned to see Caitlin talking to the table and found myself smiling at her antics. How someone so cute and quirky can be distant and isolated at times I will never know.

Exiting the bathroom, I looked at the table expecting to see Caitlin but she wasn't there, maybe she's in the bathroom I told myself walking back to the table. Taking my seat again I noticed a napkin lay in front of me with a small lightning bolt on top of it. Picking up the golden charm, I held it in my hand retrieving the note with the other.

 _I warned you – but you didn't listen,_

 _I told you to stay away – but you didn't._

 _And now…_

 _Ii don't know if I want you too!_

 _I believe in second chances!_

 _Caitlin_

 _P.S I enjoyed talking to you –_

 _Coffee – tomorrow – 2pm?_

Smiling to myself, I wrapped the small golden lightning bolt into the napkin. Finished the rest of my coffee in one gulp, grabbing one of the two muffins I made my way to do the door. I'm breaking through her ice wall and she's allowing me in and I plan on take full advantage of that.

It's only at the moment did I realise that yes I might be attracted to her and she might be attracted to me – I may never know but that isn't what she needs right now. She doesn't need a boyfriend proven by her not dating since she was sixteen – six years! What she needs more is a friend I plan on being just that to her.

Miss Caitlin Snow needs a friend – not a boyfriend I smiled to myself as I waked back to my apartment, eating my blueberry muffin.


	6. Chapter Five

"Go away!" I shouted to whoever just knocked on my front door, I didn't want to see anyone right now and chances are it's Barry on the other end of this pointless piece of wood that seems to be lacking in its privacy function. He is the last person I want to see right now. I want to wallow in self-pity alone.

"Pizza delivery" a thick Italian accent spoke through the door which made me roll my eyes.

"I didn't order pizza – wrong apartment" I called back wanting more than ever for the stupid delivery guy to go away, doesn't he know I'm trying to feel sorry for myself?

"Apartment 12B, I have right apartment"

Making my way over to the door, I pulled it open with force ready to give the delivery guy a piece of my mind; if I had ordered pizza then I would remember doing so. "Listen – I didn't order any pizza" I looked up at the delivery guy expecting to see a confused looking man but instead came face to face with Barry, who stood before me with a pizza in his hand and a stupid smirk adorning his stupid face .

"I should have known – that Italian accent was awful, I'm surprised the pizza isn't crying" I went to close the door, only for him to stick his converse covered foot in the doorway stopping me from doing so.

"I'm getting the feeling you're angry with me but I can explain"

"Save your lame excuses I don't want to hear them" I tried leaning on the door again, hoping it would magically close if I put every bit of strength I had into it but I failed –again.

"It's not an excuse"

"You left me sat alone in a coffee shop for an hour and now you think you can just show up at my door uninvited. I will thank you for being fully dressed this time – with your stupid Colgate smile and Justin Bieber haircut. You think I'm just going to let you stroll in here with your pizza"

"I also have a six pack, ice cream and monopoly – how about game night?"

"Do you honestly think offering to drink with me till we're wasted while playing some finance game is going to make up for it? I waited an hour for you"

"So let me, oh let me redeem oh redeem oh myself tonight. 'Cause I just need one more shot, second chances. Yeah. Is it too late now to say sorry –?"

"If I let you in will you please stop singing?"

"I think we could come to some arrangement so let me in – pizza is getting cold and Ben and Jerry are melting" he shot me his smile worthy of prime place in a toothpaste commercial while pushing past me into my apartment.

Sighing I closed the door and followed Barry back into the living room where he was already happily making himself at home. The pizza box open on the coffee table to reveal the mouth-watering peperoni pizza with a slice missing, said slice now being brutally attacked by Barry's teeth as he sat back on the sofa with a slice in one hand and a beer in the other.

"Ice cream needs going in the freezer – I'll set the game up" rolling my eyes at him, I snatched the brown paper bag up off of the table and headed into the kitchen. Who does he think he is coming into my home and bossing me about? "What do you want to be?"

"The little dog" I replied slamming the freezer door.

"I'm always the dog, you'll have to be something else" Barry looked up from dealing the money out on the table as I re-entered the living room, why he couldn't bring the electronic version I don't know, it's so much easier.

"It's my apartment, shouldn't I get first pick?"

"It's my game"

"I want to be the little doggy, you can be the ship and I don't know – maybe you could sail out of my life or shoes and walk out of it. If you don't like it you can leave the pizza and beer and take your monopoly and get the hell out of my apartment"

"It doesn't matter you're still going to get your ass handed to you by the monopoly king" she smirked having finished dealing out the money.

"Who calls you that your mommy" I snatched my money from his hand and sat down on the other end of the sofa.

"So what if she does, I'm still going to win"

"The only reason you ever win is because she lets you – now start rolling momma's boy" I threw the two little dice at him knowing the sooner we start the sooner this is over. Why he had to bring the game that takes the longest to play I don't know, what is wrong with a little operation?

"I'll be the sports car then" he took the little metal sports car from the box.

"Good, now maybe you can drive the hell out of my life" Reaching across to the table, I grabbed an ice cold beer and bit into a slice of pizza while I waited for him to take his turn – this was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Four" I said lazily rolling the dice across the board I was sitting cross legged on the ground with my back resting against the couch while Barry had chosen to instead hang upside down like a bat. His legs were up in the air pressed again the back rest of my pearl white sofa while he tried to roll the dice while still upside down it had worked on the last few tries but now that I had accidentally bumped the coffee table further away from us it was proving quite a challenge to the wannabe Bieber. "Caitlin" he groaned.

"Bring the table back!" I rolled my eyes at the bat that had taken residence hanging from my sofa

"No. Get up and play like a normal person" I said taking the cover of the game and hitting him on the head

"OWW he complained in protest. Not the hair Caitlin"

"Take your turn already" I said pushing the table even further away and shimmying closer so that only I could reach it. Barry finally decided to flop down from his position and sit on the couch like a normal human being "Thank you. Now roll" I handed the dice back to him pulling the coffee table back towards us, Barry mumbled something about the action being pointless but his compliant was soon followed by a gleeful shriek.

"Wooohooo I got a perfect double 6. Beat that. Caitlin!" I threw my head back to look at him

"Great. Just get two more and you'll be. Sitting in jail and let's face it, we both know you would never survive in jail – you'd be someone's bitch in no time"

"That hurt Caitlin. Right in the feels" he said dramatically placing her hand to his chest.

" Stop being such a drama queen and move your sports car "

" I didn't bring my sports car " he said with a smirk

"Yeah I'm sure your mommy didn't allow you to bring that to campus. But I was talking about the monopoly piece"

"Fine fine" he said getting up to move the bead and making a big show of counting the spaces till he reached twelve landing on a chance space "Chance" he said debating "Hey Caitlin. Do you think I should take a chance?" He said slightly tugging at me shoulder to get my attention.

The contact although through clothes and barely there still seemed like dangerous territory "Hmm" I gulped trying not to moan at heat radiating from his open palm but honestly I was too drunk to even try convince myself I wasn't enjoying this. "Sure Allen but try take the chance before the Christmas holidays arrive. We haven't got all day".

Barry clicked his tongue licking his lips slowly as he placed one hand on the edge of the table, bracing himself as he used the other reach around me to retrieve a card from the deck. "It's your birthday tomorrow collect ten dollars from each player" He shifted so he was now sitting directly behind me with my back resting against his legs and bent his body down resting his elbows on my shoulders and holding the card out in front of me but he didn't stop there instead he chose to speak in a low tone his lips coincidentally positioned just above my ear "Tomorrow is my birthday Cait. What did you get me?"

Without turning around to look at him – knowing it would only end with very little space between us. I picked up a handful of crisp one dollar bills from the bank threw them behind me and onto him

"Happy birthday Allen. Buy yourself some manners"

"Well that was rude" he sat back up properly only to belly flop onto his tummy "But you should probably add ten more to that; I can't leave out my deceased twin brother. Now can I? Well I could... But it would be mean"

I shook my head at his attempt at a joke but drunk me decided to play along anyways "Identical? Oh thank god. I don't think the world would have been ready for two of you" but my wit fell upon deaf ears. Barry had now become deadly quiet "you were being serious?" I said just above a whisper more to myself than him.

Barry just hummed in response. My eyes shot open in realization "Oh my god Barry. I'm sorry. I had no idea"

"It's ok. I didn't either. I celebrated my 22nd birthday about three weeks ago by the way you missed my birthday" still in shock I leaned back on to the couch allowing my head to rest against the side of the same cushion Barry was currently occupying. "Anyways every year my parents would place two candles on my birthday cake. No more no less irrespective of how old I was that year, I never bothered to question it until this year because my parents decided getting me drunk on Amarula chocolate before I blew out my candles would be the best way to celebrate, it wasn't I wouldn't shut up all night and thus I made the stupid mistake of finally asking 'why'. Turns out the other candle was for my deceased twin, I've been lighting a candle for my twin's corpse for the past 22 years. Can it get anymore scream queens than this?" Barry buried his face further into the plush cushion of my designer couch "God I wish I hadn't found out. Why did I have to be so stupid?" He paused for second lifting his hand up in a stop signal "Don't" he said warningly without even moving his head to face me "Not now Caitlin. I'm drunk but not drunk enough"

I smiled despite the circumstances because no matter what the situation Barry always seemed to somehow make light of the heaviest of scenarios "Hey I'm not doing any better than you" I whispered. "My father decided to kill himself thinking I would be better off without him and to this day I don't know why ..." It's been years since I cried for either one of my parents and for some reason in this setting being intoxicated and alone with the gorgeous boy from next door it seemed that now was a good time for the crocodile tears to appear.

I was pleasantly surprised when Barry's long fingers decided to weave into my platinum locks massaging my scalp in a comforting gesture while he still laying belly flopped across my couch. But this was not what I signed up for here, begrudgingly I tried to remove his hands from my all too heavy head but Barry had other plans.

"No. Stop being so cold Elsa – play nice for once. We are both drunk. I want to blame it on the alcohol; let's blame it on the alcohol." Nodding slowly almost on autopilot I allowed him to continue with his actions. Half way through sitting in silence with Barry's fingers working magic on my scalp.

Barry began to talk again "I wish I never knew. Ever since I found out it is all I can think about. Imagine I could have had a brother to share this all with" his actions stilled and I felt his moist tears soaking through my previously dry scalp.

Sighing in realization I turned around to face Him "Listen. Hey listen "I said trying to coax him "you are not alone in loss ok. Everybody has different types of grief. You might not see it on their faces but trust me it's there the grief is not a test ... The real test is what you choose to do with it now we can either sit around here moping and feeling sorry for ourselves till the end of time or ... I'm pretty sure I have a bottle of tequila around here somewhere. Let's say we drown our sorrows and leave them behind once and for all" I suggested pushing myself to my feet so I could hunt down the tequila I know is in this apartment somewhere.

"Where are you going?" Barry reached his arm out to grab mine, almost falling off the couch in the process, as I tried to walk away from him.

"To find the tequila, if we're going to feel sorry for ourselves then we are doing it properly" I nodded to myself knowing it sounds like the perfect plan. We can drain whatever is left in the bottle and bitch about how awful our lives are so much better than doing it alone. "Kitchen" I voiced aloud knowing if it's going to be anywhere then the kitchen is my best bet.

Stumbling into the kitchen I jumped up onto the counter to search the top cupboards, abandoning the chair for once, too much messing about if you ask me. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" Barry asked appearing behind me as I searched through the first cupboard but coming up short – no tequila.

"No I'm not; I'm finding the damn tequila I know I have" I looked over my shoulder at him as I moved onto the next cupboard, only to see him step in time with me, staying behind me the whole time. "What are you doing?" I narrowed my eyes at him, having a sneaky suspicion that he is just checking me out instead of 'helping'.

"I'm being your safety net; I see a fall in your near future"

"What are you mystic Meg now?" I shot back sarcastically opening the next cupboard and searching through it. "EUREKA" I shouted finding the half bottle of tequila in the top left hand side of the cupboard right in the back corner.

I carefully removed the bottle of alcoholic gold and handed it down to Barry before standing on the tips of my toes to give myself more height over the impossible to reach shot glasses "almost there – Gotcha " I announced holding the miniature glasses up in the air lion king style unfortunately that caused me to lose my footing sending me tumbling to the cold hard polished tiles.

I bleached myself for an impact but it never came, willing myself to open my eyes just long enough to figure out if the fall had sent to me to the afterlife. "Am I there yet? What does it look like?"

A soft chuckle vibrated through the hard chest I was pressed up against "What does what look like?" Barry looked down at me amusedly

"Well at first I thought I had died and gone to heaven but seeing that you're also here ...I must be in hell."

"Who needs the limes when we have you? Why so sour Elsa? I just saved your life"

"I told you I had te-qui-laa" I smiled up at him, showing him my pearly white teeth. "I think you can put me down now" I reminded him of our current situation, as much as I am liking the closeness and his heat, it's far too dangerous even in our current drunken state to be this close to him.

"Oh yeah – ok" he cleared his throat

"Thank you" I shot him another smile once I was stood firmly back on my own two feet. "Now take this and these into the living room and I'll grab the salt and limes" I pushed the tequila and two shot glasses into his firm chest, resisting the urge to have a real feel while my hand was there.

"I have a good game for us to play" he spoke while leaving the kitchen.

"If it's never have I ever then I'm not playing" I yelled from my spot at the breakfast counter quickly cutting up a lime knowing it didn't have to look pretty as long as it did its job. Carrying the lime wedges and electronic salt shaker into the living room, I re-joined Barry on the couch where he already had two shots set up.

"No its confession shots" he stated while looking very proud of his apparent brilliant idea

"You what now?"

"confession shots, you confess something then take a shot, a way of getting it off your chest" he shrugged sliding the shot of tequila across the coffee table to me, the game now clearly abandoned but I don't care – I was winning, Barry might think he is winning but what he fails to forget is every time he thought I wasn't looking he would rob the bank for more cash.

"Oh I have one I said raising my shot glass and toasting to fresh air – I confess you're an idiot, I think I deserve two shots for that one" I picked up the shot glass ready to knock it back, ignoring the salt as that is for wimps.

"That isn't how it works" Barry placed his hand onto mine, stopping me from knocking the shot back.

"Who died and made you confession king?" I pouted, I just wanted to drink is that too much to ask, it's not often I get to drink with someone else.

"My twin brother did but he would have never out confessed kinged me"

"I don't know about that, was that even a confession – you know what just drink" I shook my head, knocking the small shot back before he could stop me and grabbed a lime wedge, sucking the juice form it. Disposing of the now used lime wedge, I watched Barry as he followed suit, opting for the salt to begin with.

"Right now to play correctly – I once accidently broke a girl's nose" Barry confused and I didn't know if to laugh or bed appalled at what he had done.

"How – why?"

"I went to kiss her but ended up sneezing and accidently head butted her and broke her nose – in my defence she had a cat and I'm allergic" he explained pouring himself another shot, drinking it before it had time to settle in the small glass.

I laughed happy that it wasn't him beating a girl but a simple mistake which really is funny. "Remind me to buy a cat tomorrow"  
"Hey I thought I was getting a second chance?" Barry nudged me with his shoulder.

"It's a backup plan, you know in case I change my mind and want to keep you away" I smiled topping both of out glasses up again.

"Come on snowflake confess"

"I once had a wet dream about my neighbour" I admitted taking the shot before I could think about anything else.

"Was I good – I better had of been. I don't like to disappoint a lady"

"It wasn't you, I have had more neighbours than you" I lied, it was him and as much as I hate to admit it, he was good and it almost makes me want to the real thing just to compare it to dream world but I can't go there – I can't think like that.

"Shame there's still time – alright my turn, I'm afraid the woman I think I might be in love with will slip away because I'm too much of a coward to tell her how I feel"

"Little deep Allen" I laughed taking another shot of tequila as it looks like we've reached the deep portion of the night so I'm going to need it.

"It's always been the same – I think I'm scared of the rejection. Your turn" he quickly changed the subject, finishing his shot by slamming the glass down onto the table causing a loud bang.

"I once stole a candy bar" I shrugged taking another shot.

"Seriously, I just confessed I'm scared of rejection and you confess you once stole a candy bar?"

"I couldn't think of anything" I shrugged unaware of what he wanted me to confess. What was he expecting from me 'I have the ability to shoot ice daggers from my hands'. Something tells me that wouldn't go down to well with him.

The game continued bouncing back and forth as we kept confessing things that half the time didn't make sense until we came down to one last shot each, at this point I'm surprised we even have anything left to confess, that and the fact we haven't passed out or ruined my carpet by now. There is a lot more tequila in that bottle than I first thought.

"My last confession is" Barry began swaying side to side while trying his hardest to focus on my face. "I'm having a lot of fun tonight" he slurred laughing to himself as he took his final shot, placing the glass back onto the table upside down.

"My final confession is" I took a deep breath looking at Barry from the corner of my eyes but quickly looked away again to the floor between my feet. "When you didn't show this afternoon I thought you had stood me up because you didn't want to spend time with me and it hurt. I don't know why but I feel at ease when you're around me, I normally keep people at arm's length but you're different for some reason, I want to let you in – I just need to learn how to after all these years but I'm scared I'm going to push you away for good before I learn how to let you in"

I know I have just voiced all my insecurities to him, the thought of pushing him away for good being my worst nightmare but I also hope he forgets this tomorrow. He forgets everything I have said tonight but I know the tequila will help with the temporary amnesia, speaking of which – I took my last shot and placed my glass down on top of his.

"How about a movie?" I suggested wanting to change the subject as quickly as I could. I didn't want to hear his reply to my confession I just wanted to forget it ever happened but I also don't want him to leave. The more I am around him the easier it is for me to put my walls down with him but I also know that tomorrow the walls I have down now will firmly be back in place with reinforcements.

"I'm not sure about you but coffee sounds really good right about now. How do you take it?" I asked jumping off the couch to stretch "Barry..." Barry seemed to be eyeing my glass cabinet his full focus grasped by something on the third shelf "hey ALLEN! " I raised my voice slightly this time successfully grabbing his attention.

"Hmm yeah?" He responded finally moving his line of vision to me

"I asked. How do you take your coffee?" I repeated while pulling my hair up to sit on the top of my head and out of my face, securing it in place with the hair tie on my wrist. "Extra cream and 3 sugars, same as you" he instantly responded

"Whoa. How did you know that? Are you psychic? Oh my god I'm drinking alcohol with a clairvoyant " to be fair I'm not even sure if this is real that 6 pack and tequila shots has left me feeling slightly dizzy then again at this point I'm not even sure if that really happened. For all I know I could still be asleep and Aquaman is probably next door in his own apartment playing with his fountain, water feature, pipes or whatever.

Coming to terms with the possibility of this all being a dream I decided to just play along with this figment of my imagination "Alright sweetie looks like I'm making coffee for a hypnotist" Barry looked at me sceptically.

"Hypnotist? I'm not a… Caitlin we had coffee together yesterday I saw how you take your coffee" he said shaking his head.

"Oh" disappointed that this dream version was a normal person I headed back to the kitchen to prepare our late night caffeine fix. I slowly strolled into the kitchen taking my time to ensure that I did not in my drunken state fall flat on my face then dream Barry would probably snap a pic and post it on Instagram.

Quickly finding two cups I set to work on frothing the milk with the creamer and deciding at the last minute to "Cait up " the drinks I added two helpfully of hot chocolate instantly turning the boring coffees into my life hack version of a chococino topped with mini marshmallows chocolate syrup and sprinkles .

I entered the living area holding the tray of chococinos and a trio of biscuits that I swiped up while I passing through my dining area. Barry was laying on my couch as if he owned the place with DVD player remote in his hand, I also noted that the coffee table had been cleared with little to no evidence of the night's previous rendezvous limes and empty tequila bottle in the trash and the shot glasses placed neatly aside and the beginnings of the little mermaid was playing in the back ground. Wait, what?! I never authorized that it took Barry a full two minutes to notice my presence and gaping jaw

"Ooh yay, hot chocolate. I thought you were craving coffee" he questioned taking a long sip of the scalding hot liquid "hot hot hot" he exaggerated fanning his tongue dramatically

"Here" I handed him my glass of water that I had fetched during our monopoly game s few hours ago "I told you it was hot – Hot chocolate it's in the name genius" I sing songed " and by the way I DO NOT get cravings. That's your thing, Herald "I scolded childishly sticking my tongue out at him. Taking a look over at the screen I raised my eyebrow at him "the little mermaid. Really? What makes you think I'm ok with you staying longer and keeping me company through one of the best movies Disney ever made?"

"Please Caitlin."

Be strong Caitlin. Be strong. You can do this. Will power but my mouth betrayed me "Fine but you're making the popcorn and getting blankets from my room. It's freezing"

Barry scratched his head "If this apartment got any hotter than it would make the Kalahari look like the Arctic" drunk me wasn't really amused by his clever word play "Blankets ALLEN or we're only watching the normal version and not the Blu-ray"

With a little huff, he dropped the remote onto the sofa by his feet and rolled off the sofa and headed towards, I mentally rolled my eyes at him. Flopping onto the couch I made myself comfortable with my hot chocolate. Moments later, Barry reappeared from my bedroom dragging my comforter behind him. "I said blankets" I reminded him knowing he's just gone into my bedroom and ruined my bed.

"You said you're cold and this looked warmer, we can share" he winked taking a set beside me on the couch, covering us both with the comforter.

"Just start the damn movie; I want to see your starring moment"

"I don't have a starring moment in this movie" I didn't look at him but I can imagine the pout currently gracing his pretty face.

"Shut up Herald. The sooner you start it the sooner I can have my moment"

"Do I even want to know what your moment is?"

"UP WHERE THEY WALK, UP WHERE THEY RUN, UP WHERE THEY STAY ALL DAY IN THE SUN. WANDERING FREE- WISH I COULD BE PART OF THAT WORLD" I sang at the top of my voice, it may have been out of tune but who cares – I don't.

"You're going to wake the neighbours Snow"

"You're already here and awake so I can't wake you" I smirked knowing the only other people I could wake are the people above us and if they want to trek all the wall down her to tell me to shut up then so be it - doesn't mean I'll listen.

Having finished my hot chocolate, I placed the mug onto the coffee table and began to feel my eyes shut as the movie continued to play in the background; forcing myself to stay away I focused on the screen in front of me.

"I have one final confession to make. _I realise you need a friend more than you need a boyfriend and I'm ok with that_ " Barry mumbled beside me, _"P.S you don't need to feel insecure around me – I'll always want to be a part of your world"_

* * *

"Hmmm" I felt a firm pair of arms pull me closer and warm breath in my hair. Ugh I haven't felt this hung over since I was nineteen and I've never been in this position since the age of sixteen. My eyes fluttered opened and I came face to chest with somebody's VERY defined six pack, a sudden panic surged through me but it was short lived once I discovered that I was in deed still wearing clothes so I did not sleep with some random stranger or even worse, Barry. But if this is a dream oh god am I having another sexual fantasy dream about Barry – I wanted to face palm dream me. This is not going to help with my plan of trying to not find him attractive. If I ever let him in it is going to have to be as a friend – nothing more.

As much as my body is screaming out to let him in, let him come closer but laying here snuggled into his chest with a pounding headache and in his vice grip I don't see how we could get any closer, not physically. Barry began to moan in his sleep, his voice rumbling in the chest I was tucked into "No more alcohol" he groaned out loud, reality struck and I realized that he wasn't talking in his sleep he was in fact awake.

Barry moved to get up and possibly leave me alone in the abyss of my own apartment but I was too sneaky. I shut my eyes just as quickly as I had opened them, pretending to be asleep and clutching onto his shirt like a lifeline as I didn't trust myself to move, let alone stand up – not with the pounding in my head. I heard Barry sigh in defeat wrapping his arms around me tighter and pressing a lingering kiss to the top of my head it was so light that had I not been awake I surely would have missed it "Sleep tight Elsa" yawned Barry before drifting off to asleep again. With the relaxing thump of his heartbeat in my ear, I must have followed shortly after.

* * *

 **So there you have it!**

 **Caitlin wants to let him into her life but she needs to learn how!**

 **What do you think will happen next?**

 **10+ reviews for the next chapter**

 **Thank you for reading.**


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N If you have any questions then please ask them and we will try and answer them the best we can.**

* * *

I clutched onto my pen tighter not hard enough to break it; I had already broken five in the last hour but placed enough pressure on it for the brand to be etched into my skin. Things are becoming ridiculous now, Barry has been playing the same song on repeat at full blast since 11 o'clock THIS MORNING. It was now 17:00 and Barry had still not made any attempt to turn it down

Slamming my textbook closed, I glared at the wall separating my apartment from Barry's but judging by the volume he's decided to play his music at we might as well just knock the wall down and have one large apartment because the noise level is horrible. To the point where for a moment I convinced myself that party boys had moved back in. Why of all days he has decided to play his music so loud I don't know, doesn't he know I'm trying to study in here.

Just yesterday I told him I was spending the day studying for winter finals and this is the crap he's pulling, it's like he wants me to fail my finals. I could understand it but it's the same damn song over and over again. It's last about a minutes and thirty seconds then it starts all over again. I allowed myself to sigh in relief as he finally stopped the song after three hours of the same stupid thing, to the point I have found myself humming along to it which doesn't help my concentration. Finally! Silence at last but just as I had come to accept the possibility of being home free" The song had stopped playing but Barry decided that playing something equally as annoying was the best way to fill the silence I shut my eyes in frustration ".

That was IT. that was the FINAL straw reaching breaking point, I dropped my now half way bent pen on top of my textbook, pushed away from the table heading next door to tell him to turn it down. He told me yesterday he was studying today but listening to the noise coming from his apartment he's doing anything but studying – more like an illegal rave.

Banging my fist against his door as hard as I possibly could, I stood and waited for him to answer the door, only to realise he probably can't hear me over the music, deciding to take matters into my own hands, I tried the handle only to find the door is set on the catch allowing me access to his apartment. Stepping inside I didn't care if he didn't want me here – he's let himself into my apartment enough times over the past months that I might as well just install a revolving door for him.

"BARRY!" I shouted over the music wondering where he is, stepping into the living room – only to find it empty I continued my search of his apartment, checking every room until I came to his bedroom. Doing the polite thing, I knocked on the door as hard as I could before entering.

My eyes scanned the room for Barry knowing he has to be in here somewhere or else he's not home, he's left his door open and his music on – if he isn't here then I am going to kill him. My eyes finally landed on the person in question, bring my hands up to my mouth I tried contain the laughter dying to leave my mouth.

Out of the million things he could have been doing, I had to walk in on him dressed in only a pair of black boxers dancing in front of the mirror. In situations like this I would leave but I can't move, it's almost as if my feet are glued to the spot just like my eyes are stuck on Barry as he goes full air guitar to the point anyone would think he was currently stood in front of eighteen thousand people at Madison square garden's.

My hand remained over my mouth as I shifted my position to lean against the doorframe unable to stop watching him as he rocked along to Mr Brightside singing the lyrics at the top of his lungs – it really is a sight to beholder. It only makes me wish I had brought my phone with me to video it. Actually I did fumbling with the device that was in my pocket I pulled up the video recorder and held the device out making no attempt to hide the fact I was recording him. This could make for some really good black mail

"Caitlin" I heard my name spoken in shock horror as the music finally died, I quickly hid my phone before he could see it. I don't know if I'm relieved the music has stopped or disappointed my show has finished.

"I like that song" I laughed unable to hold it in any longer. I wasn't lying I did like the song and I have found myself dancing around my apartment to it at times but unlike Barry I make sure the door is locked.

"Me too" he looked down embarrassed to have been caught.

"I couldn't tell" I responded sarcastically. "Very nice air guitar but this isn't risky business"

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"I came to tell you to turn the music down, you know I'm trying to study and I've had it since six this morning."

"Sorry I listen to loud music when I study – it helps me concentrate"

"Well it's distracting for me – next time wear headphones" I told him sighing wondering how anyone could concentrate with that song playing over and over and over again.

"Noted"

"Good because if I have to listen to antimony, arsenic, aluminium, selenium, and hydrogen and oxygen and nitrogen and rhenium, And nickel, neodymium, neptunium then I'm going to lose my germanium, with you" I sang at him, the stupid element song now stuck in my head, I don't know who this Tom Lehrer guy thinks he is coming up with yet another way for Barry to drive me to insanity with this chalkboard screeching song, that Barry just has to play on repeat for hours. "Are you going to put pants on or not?" I asked still hyper aware that he is stood before me in only the tightest black boxers known to man.

"Just exactly how long have you been there?" he asked running his hand over his face, realisation he is only in his underwear hitting him.

"Long enough, now come on Tom get dressed – we're taking a break from studying, let's go bowling or something new" I turned to leave the room laughing to myself.

"Tom Cruise doesn't have the moves I do"

"You're right – his are better. Now get dressed" I called over my shoulder knowing the least Barry can do is entertain me for a couple hours and take my mind off the textbooks but the image of him dancing in his pants will stay with me until the day I die, whenever I need a laugh I will be pulling that one out of the memory bank.

Sitting down on the sofa, I waited for Barry to throw some clothes on so we can leave, I'm sick of sitting at the same desk, looking at the same walls and that damn textbooks – I need distracting from it. Looking around the room from the flat screen on the wall and the clothes scattered across the back of most of armchair and little bits of stuff littering the surfaces – for a guy he is somewhat tidy, nothing compared to my level of clean but he's a guy and his mommy isn't here to clean for him. I have been in here many times and seen it in worse state than it is now so the little bits here and there don't bother me as much as it normal would because I'm getting used to it with him.

"Barry you're putting clothes on – why is it taking so long?" I asked wondering how long it takes to put pants and a t-shirt on and grab a coat.

"I need to look good if I'm leaving the apartment" I heard him call back and I can just imagine him stood in front of the full length mirror checking himself out, while moving all the small stray hairs into place.

"Barry we're going bowling, it's not a fashion show – so get your ass out here and let's go"

"How do you know I don't have plans?" his head popped around the door to look at me.

"Something tells me if I wasn't here then you and your mirror would still be busy – now get a move on, we haven't got all day" I picked up one of the old battered converse he likes so much up off the floor and threw it at his head, unluckily it missed but I was never aiming in the first place

"Alright I'm coming, stop attacking me with my own stuff"

"When you stop dragging your butt, I'll stop attacking you with your stuff" I shoot him a cheesy toothy smile.

"Can I have my other shoe?"

"With pleasure, I grabbed the other shoe off the floor and threw it at him smiling when it hit him with a thud in the stomach.

"I did mean pass it me – not throw it at me"

"You got your shoes, now stuff your man feet your into them and let's go" I rolled my eyes at him, he can be so immature at times God knows how his mother put up with this kid during puberty.

I'll drive – I know the perfect place" Barry announced once he had managed to squeeze his clown feet into this shoes. "Urmmm –"

"What's the problem now?" I asked turning around to look at him, just when I think we're making progress and actually getting somewhere he finds a way to set us back again.

"I don't know where I left my keys" he scratched his head, looking around the living room, no doubt hoping they will come to him.

"How many times do I have to tell you to buy a hook to keep them on – that way you always know where they are" I sighed throwing my arms up into the air. He is always forgetting where he leaves his keys so for the past two months I have been telling him to buy a bowl and keep it by the door so he always knows where they are – one thing is for sure, I know what I'm getting him for Christmas, a hook and a big keychain, maybe even a bloody Bluetooth sticker then again he keeps losing his phone too so he can't ever lose them again. Finally spotting them on the kitchen counter I swiped them up. "Make sure they don't jump out and bite you" I told him sarcastically tossing them to him – surprised when he actually caught them, "Can we please go now?"

"Lead the way my fair lady" he motioned dramatically towards the door. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at him, I left his apartment and went back into mine to grab my keys and wallet before meeting him again in the hallway.

"Why does this elevator take so long to arrive?"

"Because we live on the twelfth floor but I might take the stairs – last time I got into an elevator with you I almost died"

"The elevator stopped working and ALMOST. You didn't die, you're so dramatic at time"

"I'm dramatic – what was the lead the way my fair lady and the over the top bow?"

"It's here, get in or do you need to be carried?"

"You're an idiot" I stepped into the elevator pressing the button for the ground floor wondering at this point why I ever let him into my life – my life was a lot simpler when he was just the boy next door and not my friends before I could just ignore him where as now I have to put up with him.

Reaching the lobby, I followed Barry out of the building to the parking lot, climbing into the passenger seat of his black Mustang, a little part of me did have a little car envy when I first saw his car but I quickly got over it when I looked at my Audi convertible parked in my allocated spot beside his. Strapping myself into the seat, Barry pulled out of the spot and I already feared for my life and we're still in the parking lot.

"This isn't fast and furious you know – can't you drive like a normal person?" I asked wishing I had offered to drive, if I had we had a better chance of us both arriving alive and in one piece.

"I am driving like a normal person, what is wrong with my driving?" he turned to look at me as we left the parking lot and headed out on our way to where ever he was taking us, I know I suggested bowling but Barry could have other things in mind.

"Do you even own a licence?" I asked curiosity getting the better of me because whoever passed him when he took his test needs firing.

"I do have a licence" he turned to look at me again with a smile, showing off his pearly whites.

"Eyes on the road Allen" I pointed forwards wondering if he drives like this all the time or if he's doing this because I'm with him.

"Is it fake – Oh my god that's why you was talking to that guy at the end of the street, does he do your fakes?"

"It's real and that guy is in my Chem class, he missed a couple of classes and wanted to know if he could borrow my notes. I told him I'd print him a copy"

"Likely story" I eyed him suspiciously as I turned the radio over not wanting to listen to his trash music.

"Hey don't touch my tunes" he batted my hand away and switched the station back to whatever hell bent station he had it programmed too.

"If I'm going to die, I want to listen to someone good while doing so. Seriously what the hell do you listen too?" I questioned flicking it back to another station.

"My car, I pick the music – when we're in your car then you can pick whatever we listen to" he turned it back again.

"Judging by the mess in here I don't think I want you in my car – serious do you ever clear this thing out?" I looked at the empty chip wrapped, candy bar wrappers and empty plastic bottles that lay in his compartment wondering when the last time he did clear this out. "And take it easy on the breaks – are you trying to destroy this find piece of machinery?"

"Is there anything else you would like to complain about – I mean my choice of music, the way I drive, and the trash in my car?"

"Well now you come to mention it" I tapped my chin with my index finger trying to find something else to pull him up on. It's not every day I get the chance to do this, he probably just feels guilty about playing his music so loud.

"It was a rhetorical question" he turned to glance at me again.

"This music sucks is it from the mikaelson era or something?" I turned it over again, only to earn a warning look from Barry. "Hey I had to listen to your damn element song since six this morning I think you can give me this one"

"Fine you win – as long as you stop complaining about my driving"

"I can't promise anything – seriously Barry, take it easy on the clutch"

If we don't arrive at our destination in a ball of fire or dead then I will be surprised, why anyone allowed him to own a car such as this with his driving "skills "needs a good talking to – he's murdering it and doesn't even know.

I give in two months before he needs new brake pads and maybe three months before a new clutch. I sat in silence for the remainder of the journey calling him out in my head knowing if I said it out loud then he will make me listen to music from centuries ago and I can't deal with that – just when I think he finally bought himself a good music sense – he ruins it.

"Barry" I yelled for the umpteenth time, practically dragging him away from some car display that was on show outside the entertainment area earning myself some rather concerned glances from both passers-by's and staff.

"Oh come on lil missy" tried the manager, placing his hand on my back and guiding me to another display so Barry can have some space "Allow your husband to look at these state of the art pieces of miracle machinery and judging by that watch on your hand I reckon you can afford it" he pried with a tooth dazzling fake smile and hand that was sliding a bit too low for my comfort.

" so you noticed my watch but Did you notice a ring on my finger – that isn't my husband and nor will he ever be" I called out the sales guy who thinks he's going to be earning some commission from us, like hell he is, who the hell does he think he is making assumptions that I can afford a car due to the watch on my wrist that was my last birthday present from my parents? His eyes widened at the revelation. "Come on Barry please. We're on the clock. I promise I will drive you over here myself any other day just so you can spend the whole day looking at cars" I begged

Linking our arms together – That seemed to do the trick, feeling really chuffed about my victory I allowed myself to pulled in the direction of the entertainment area, by the overgrown child who had now decided he wanted a chocolate ball and who was I to resist those irresistible emerald orbs. "Fine, I'll have one too" I shrugged.

"What about your diet?" He chuckled.

"Are you kidding me? I've been listening to you and that stupid song all morning. I'm pretty sure I've lost about 10kgs from banging my head on the wall"

Still uncertain as to what we wanted to do here Barry suggested that we walk around the area studying the length of the lines so that we could make a decision we didn't get very far when I stopped abruptly in front of a bowling alley "Please. Please please"

"Really? Bowling? That's what you dragged me over here for?"

"Oh come on Barry. Try something new" I took his hand and dragged him over to the counter.

"New? Caitlin, you are talking to the king of bowling." I shot him an amused almost challenging look

"Hmmm – Is that so? Are you sure that's not just a title from Grandma ALLEN?"

"No – Well yeah – Shut up ... My grandma doesn't bowl ... She gets stoned " he deadpanned with a look so serious I had to clutch my tummy when we both doubled over in tears

"So are you sure you don't want to go see that chick flick you've been trying to get me to watch with you" he asked paying for both of us before I could even find my card

"Yes I'm positive but I must warn you I'm terrible at this. Come along now, child" I rolled my eyes placing both pairs of bowling shoes in his hands and strutted my way over to the lane.

"That's would be King to you, Elsa"

* * *

"STRIKE! And once again I am the KING of bowling" Barry announced – rather loudly might I add while doing a little moon walk spin on one leg

"Show off "I spoke under my breath.

"What was that, Elsa?"

"Nothing – now move you're blocking the lane" I shoved him out of the way so I could choose one of the metallic bowling balls.

"Hmmm so can I ask you something?"

"Depends, are you going to keep annoying me until I say you can?" I grabbed the ball and stepped forward prepared to show him up

"Yeah probably, you don't have to say yes, I'll completely understand..." He began to rambled on

"Barry" I tried

"I mean you are very pretty and you probably wouldn't even want to ..."

"Barry!" I tried once again to get his attention.

"Come to think of it, you probably already have plans"

"BARRY!" I shouted causing a little unwanted attention from the people around us.

"Sorry – hmm it's a long shot but I would like to ask you anyway"

I sighed deeply absolutely dreading the question. He couldn't possibly be ... No. He wouldn't – ok calm down Caitlin. Just bowl that always used to work anyway

"I'm just going to come out and say it"  
"OH MY GOD. Are you gay?"

"I'm not gay"

"I knew it – I mean it explains the hair and the moisturizer. I know it's hard for you to come out and openly admit you're gay but I want you to know that I feel honoured you feel you can trust me enough to confide in me" I began to ramble with myself also wondering how I got it so wrong – how can I be drawn to a gay man, life really isn't fair. Why are all the hot ones gay?

"Cait" Barry grabbed me by the shoulders forcing me to look at him. I froze hearing him say my name – the only other people whoever called me that were my parents so I haven't heard it from anyone's lips for the past six years "I'm not gay" he looked me dead in the eyes as he spoke the words – apart of me did feel a little relief rush over me to know that.

"Oh I just thought – what did you want to tell me – You know what never Mind"  
Sighing in relief I proceeded to bowl

"Caitlin. Will you be my date?" And suddenly it was like I had pulled a molly moon and the world itself had FROZEN is that even possible? I know I can do substances but time itself? The ball dropped from my hold, rolling sideward of the lane and straight into the gutter.

Barry craned his head. Trying to figure out what had just happened "WOW, You weren't kidding. You REALLY are bad at this" frozen on the spot, the noise around me faded into a distant buzz. This was not happening either we were both high or Barry just asked me out.

"Hmm sorry I think it's too loud in here. I could have sworn you just asked me to be your date"

"Correct – I asked you to accompany me to the annual masquerade ball. It'll just be as friends, I know you're not interested in anything more"

Not trusting myself to form a coherent sentence I left it hanging in the air with a simple "I'll think about it."

I don't think what I said would have mattered anyway. Either way I was not having the best luck at bowling grabbing the wrong ball on purpose to keep the smile on Barry's face and sometimes just straight up messing up because all I could focus on was that question but not the one he asked. Why do I feel so disappointed that he wanted to go as friends? Fair enough I have a connection to him but friends could be drawn to each other too, right?

Half an hour had passed with the question still hanging in the air, bowling look like a really bad idea now, every ball I have bowled either ended up in the gutter or knocking one pin over. Out of nowhere two girls had decided to occupy the lane beside us instead of one of the many dozens scattered around the building.

Barry shook his head rapidly "Woah, woah WOAH! That is NOT what the art of bowling looks like" he exclaimed appalled that the girl in the next lane would even dare to pick up a bowling ball like that "That is NOT how is done. Look here" he said snatching the bowling ball straight out of my grasp and walking over to where this 'lady of the night working overtime during the day' was standing tall in a so called 'dress' I'm pretty sure I own that blouse. "Here like this" he said demonstrating to her how to position her fingers in to the bowling ball.

"You make it look so easy because of your long fingers " I rolled my eyes so hard and crossed my hands over my chest with a huff, placing all my weight on one leg yeah I would know all about those long fingers of his after all they had already worked their magic on me, I can still feel them running through my hair from the numerous times he has lay on my sofa and ran his fingers through my golden lock.

"No not like that! Yeah that's better and now you... Woah!" The girl had flung her bowling ball across three lanes. Ok I know that is not how you play bowling. I would know. I am a pro after all.

"Oh!" The fake blonde said innocently" I guess I forgot how to swing too. I haven't really played in ages. Would you mind showing me?" Barry actually cracked a smile at this plastic.

"Yeah sure just swing your arm back like this and release" but the blonde was not going to accept such an innocent form of help

"Actually can you come over here and show me" she batted her eyelashes at him .who even batts their eyelashes these days? Who does she think she is? Minnie Mouse? Barry being the clueless idiot he is wrapped his arms around her frame guiding her arm to swing the ball in the general direction of the pins knocking down two of them.

Having seen enough I decided to bring back some of the old Caitlin snow, the one that did not get walked all over and took charge of whatever the situation. Most importantly "Cait" never lost, AT ANYTHING!

Cantering over to the rack I picked up a royal blue ball – time I got back into my element, heavier than the one Barry had stolen from me – it has been in my experience that a slightly heavier ball works to one's advantage. Swinging the ball in a clear straight graceful motion I knocked down all ten pins and without skipping beat repeated the action two more times before plopping down on the seat cross legged and examining my manicure.

Barry just gawked at me from where he was still standing with his arms wrapped around the blonde he had stopped midway while trying to help her get a spare.

"Woah!" He uttered "Hey Elsa! WHERE did THAT come from?" He asked still quite bewildered by what he had just witnessed.

"That, Mr Elements was the national junior bowling ball champion three years running , coming out of her very long retirement. Your move, Allen " I shot back smirking at him

After 6 more rounds and an extra game – because Barry felt he could still defend his 'bowling King title' I was feeling much more relaxed than when we had first started but my happiness was short lived when Barry's cheerleader decided to approach him for more help insisting that I would be fine seeing that I knew how to play and her friend was despite knowing how to play was not skilled and patient enough to teach her how to bowl and so we ended up switching partners for the night I ended up playing with her equally as frustrating counterpart, a red head with a serious attitude problem and the stupidity level to match who I creamed by the way while I had to watch Barry intimately play my favourite game with the blonde in his arms for a full eight rounds.

By the time the game was over I had past the point of furious between the red head's constant moaning , the blondes glass breaking high pitched voice and having to watch Barry interact with somebody else I was about to lose it.

"Hey Cait , that was so much of fun and I think Amelie is really getting the hang of this " he said while still looking at the blonde who was putting on a show of bending down to pick up a ball In her way too short mini skirt"

I barely paid him any attention with my response, walking over to retrieve another ball "Hmm" although Barry being Barry was completely oblivious, he turned up to look at my screen where the scores were on full display "Woah bowling queen ! Who would have thought?" He playfully nudged me.

"Hmm" I murmured still examining my nails.

"So what do you say after we finish up here you come help me pick out a tuxedo for the ball " Barry looked hopeful I almost said yes if it were not for the high pitched squeaking in my ear reminding me of why I was upset in the first place I would have melted under his gaze and agreed in a heartbeat.

Still not giving him time of day, I bowled my final ball getting yet another perfect strike "Actually I think I would rather go home"

"Oh come on! Please, it will be fun, I promise"

I tilted my head to the side pretending to mentally weigh out my options "Nope, still want to go home. You enjoy your shopping I'll see you around Barry" and with that I pushed past him sauntering over to the bench to gather my stuff.

"Ok. At least let me drive you home"

I sighed in annoyance. Can't this boy take a hint? "I'm just going to call a cab "

Before I could move to get rid of my annoying bowling shoes "Caitlin " Barry caught my wrist preventing me from performing any further actions that would get me closer to leaving his presence "Did I do something wrong ?"

I tried to shake my wrist free from his grasp but his vice grip was just as strong as the night we slept together "Barry. I need to take off these shoes my feet hurt " still not releasing my wrist he pulled me over to sit on the couches taking my feet into his lap and removing those horrid excuses for shoes using his fingers to once again work magic on another part of my being. He added just the right amount of pressure, massaging my feet free of all the cramps and aches that were previously being held captive in the bowling shoes

I resisted the urge to moan out loud at all the sensations that were coursing through my feet and entire body as Barry kneaded and pressed my pulse points. "No you didn't" I finally answered him.

"What was that?" He asked looking confused

"You didn't do anything wrong. Honestly I really need to get some actual studying done but Let me just run to the ladies room real quick and when I come back you can walk me to my cab if it makes you feel better." I offered setting my feet back on the ground Barry's face lit up in an instant

"Sure ok I'll return these" he picked up both pairs of bowling shoes "and then we can meet back here "

With a genuine smile gracing my features I entered the little bathroom in the corner of the arcade games area. I hadn't initially really needed the bathroom but Barry's hands all over my skin again had me feeling a tad overwhelmed and the running water in the facility just reminded me of the nine cups of chamomile I had this morning in an attempt to calm my 'that element song has been playing since 6 in the morning nerves'

I was about to exit the cubicle when I heard the sound of high pitched squeaked that could only belong to two people in the building. Just great tweedle dee and tweedle die I thought to myself. Well there is no way I was going out there now so that red head can ask about my lip gloss again I swear there was a point during the game in which I was considering aiming it at her head .

"Oh my god that guy is so dreamy" I heard the red head sequel. "And oh my god, did you see? That fake blonde he came with. She was so totally pretending to be bad so that he would teach her how to play" Ok now I felt like throwing the lip gloss at her face but maybe something harder would be lying around here somewhere. Perhaps a large Boulder

"But he didn't take the bait" chimed in wannabe Barbie "Unlike me – I was against his chest for the full game and what a defined chest it is. Let me tell you" she swooned. "Maybe I should ask him to the ball. It's not like he would take that blue eyed china doll, did you see how pale her skin was? Does she ever see sunlight? And she seems too prissy. She doesn't deserve somebody like him." Making a split second decision I waited for them to leave the bathroom before I reapplied my mascara, lip gloss and added a little eyeliner. I was going to say yes to Barry. Who do those idiots think they are coming in here and acting as if he is a prize to be won? Either way Caitlin snow does not LOSE at ANYTHING!

I rushed out of the bathroom unable to contain my excitement to tell Barry that we would be going together after all and I would probably even accompany him tuxedo shopping if he comes dress shopping with me afterwards. As I approached the alley I was met with an eye sore sight. Barry was laughing with and sitting next to the blonde freak. Her friend seemed to be nowhere near the two.

Seeing Barry with somebody else made me think, Maybe this was a sign that I'm meant to forever be alone and never completely let anybody in but I was still incredibly furious with my so called friend for ditching me but more so hurt. He had probably accepted her invite by now and they were definitely trying to figure out how to match his tie to her dress. He didn't need me – maybe he never did.

Feeling exhausted, depressed, a little envious and above all infuriated I grabbed a sticky note and pen from my purse and scribbling a quick note

 _Gone home!_

 _Suddenly feeling sick_

 _Caitlin_

 _P.S Enjoy shopping – I hope your tie matches._

Ripping it from the small stack, I instructing a nearby worker to stick it on Barry's abandoned jacket five minutes after I had walked out the door, handing him the note and a twenty I left without looking back.

* * *

The frustration at Barry finally got the better of me once I got home, all I wanted to do is have fun with me and he goes and ditches me with wannabe Barbie and leaves with her annoying friend. If wanted to spent time with someone else then I wouldn't have asked him to come with me. I know I don't let people in but I took a chance on him and just as I predicted he let me down.

I only have myself to blame, I thought I could let me wall down for once and let someone in and I thought that person would be Barry but today has only taught me that I should have kept my wall firmly in place. Wiping the tears from my face I promised myself to never let anyone in again. I thought he was my friend but he ditches me the moment someone or in this case something better came alone.

I honestly did want to let him in full and I have been trying but it's not easy for me, I've spent so many years pushing people away and keeping people out that I don't know how to let anyone in anymore – I thought we might have had something, Barry made it clear in the beginning that he is attracted to me and I am attracted to him and not just because of this pull I feel towards him but physically and emotional attracted to him, I don't know how it happened but I enjoy spending time with him, he makes me laugh and I forget about everything else when I am around him but I was clearly to slow as he's now moved on to her. I didn't want to cry about it but I don't know how else to express my frustration without breaking things.

A knock on the door dragged me from my self-pity, wiping the tears from my cheeks again and went to the door knowing it will be Barry checking up on me so I didn't bother looking who it was. Opening the door I found box sitting in the doorway, looking around to see if I could see anyone but the hallway was clear. Picking the box up I took it inside, kicking the door closed behind me.

Placing the box onto the coffee table, I opened it up to see a note sat on the top with a number of items placed carefully into the box.

 _Sorry you're not feeling well_

 _Orange juice – to keep you hydrated_

 _Grandma Allen's chicken noodle soup – it's the best cure for any illness._

 _Get well soon_

 _Barry_

Unable to help myself I smiled at the note as I slid it back onto the coffee table and unpacked the items from the box along with a plain white box which wasn't explained on the note. My curiosity got the better of me as I carefully opened the box, only for another note to fall onto my lap.

 _P.S it's yours if you want it._

Folding the tissue paper back, my eyes landed on a light blue and white eye mask with a ticket to the ball on top of it. Does this mean he isn't going with Barbie? Or is it simply a fact that he is going with her but has a spare ticket so is giving it to me – from what I heard in the bathroom she already has tickets so she isn't going to need one – clearly that is the reason he is giving me this ticket. Well I'm not going, I can't stand in a room and watch them dance and fall in love before my eyes.

* * *

 **So Caitlin is jealous … interesting!**

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	8. Chapter Seven

"What are you doing?" I eyes Caitlin suspiciously as she finished the remainder of her Mai Tai, shooting me a wicked grin which sent an unfamiliar feeling to the pit of my stomach.

Standing up from the chair she occupied moment before, she pulled the hem of her midnight blue almost black dress down to her mid-thigh. The grin remained as she leaned over me, snatching my beer from my straight out of hands and away from my awaiting mouth She took a large sip before placing the bottle down on the table the unlucky or should I say lucky remnants of alcohol that didn't make it past her ruby red lips dripped down her chin forming a trail down her down her neck slowly running down her clavicle and disappearing beneath the top of her dress Is it just me or did the temperature in here just increase to boiling point

Just when I think I have her figured out she does something that completely surprises me. The way she seductively moves around me, the way her hips sway from side to side, her hand ghosting over my shoulders and neck and that wicked grin is more than enough to make the unholy thoughts come to mind.

"Don't do it" I told her finally working out what she is about to do. The last thing I need is a trip to the emergency room tonight. "Too late, she's already up" I spoke to myself rolling my eyes as Caitlin stood on the chair she previously sat on swaying from side to side, I would say in time to the music but clearly her rhythm left her three maybe four Mai Tai's ago. "Caitlin, please get down before you fall"

"Come on its fun – you should join me" her bent over to tap the end of my nose, almost losing her balance while doing so. "Come on Mr Party Pooper, we're celebrating, finals are over and we're free"

"Please get down, you're making me nervous"

"What about if I do this?" she lifted one leg, trying to balance on the other only to almost fall down onto the table.

"That makes me even more nervous"

"I can do better than that, I have perfect balance" she tried again, only to have the same effect as the first time she tried, only this time she almost fell to the floor.

"Maybe when you're sober you can do that, get down or I will be forced to get you down myself" I warned her more than happy to grip her by the waist and bring her back down to earth again. As much as I love this carefree Caitlin, she does make me nervous at times but I like how open she is towards me, I guess I could just keep her wasted all the time and then life would be so much easier but I also like the chase she is leading me on.

"Fine, I'll come down if it makes you happy" she sighed, her hands finding her waist in classic Cait, unimpressed fashion.

"Over the moon – down you come" I told her sarcastically while taking a sip from my beer.

"Make sure my butt doesn't pop out of this dress" she turned around to face away from me as she began to climb down from the chair.

In that moment I didn't know what to do, do I look at her butt or not. I mean she did tell me to make sure she doesn't flash to everyone in the bar, it is right in front of my face and it's not like I haven't stolen peeks before but I also can't help but feel it's a trick, if I look she will call me out on it. Finally deciding against looking I slid my bottle back onto the table and looked around the bar, only to catch Caitlin falling from the corner of my eyes making me realise maybe watching her was the better option.

Reaching my arms around to catch her, I caught her hips as she fell into my lap, her sapphire eyes looking at me in shock – almost as if she couldn't believe what had just happened or the fact she is sat in my lap.

Her eyes looked distant as she searched my face but the intensity of the blue in her eyes held my gaze. Suddenly she started to lean in making me freeze on the spot as the questions began to run through my mind, do I lean in as well, do I just wait and make sure she is going to kiss me because I don't want to screw everything up between us, for all I know she might not be leaning in to kiss me, maybe she is just trying to focus her eyes better due to the alcohol she has drank. Out of nowhere she began to laugh in my face, what she is laughing at I don't know but judging by the laugh it's must be the funniest thing in the world.

"I think I'm going to throw up" she stopped inches from my face looking me dead in the eyes.

"Please don't throw up on me" I heard myself say because the last thing I need is the walk home smelling of vomit.

"But the bathroom is all the way over there – and all these people are in the way" she sighed resting her head onto my shoulder, the top of her head tucked under my chin.

"I think it's time to get you home" I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the need to protect her from harm.

"But I don't want to go home" she lifted her head again to pout at me; man is she adorable when she does that. "I'm having fun for the first time in forever" she began to sing down my ear while throwing her arms out in front of her.

"So all the other times we have hung out haven't been fun?" I questioned because to me they have been more than fun, they've been amazing. Each time I hang out with her I learn something new about her, she allows me into her life a little more.

"They were the best" her hand lightly pushed my face to look away from her with the tips of her fingers, as she began to laugh again.

"So how can you be having fun for the first time in forever then?" I turned to look at her the moment her hand left my face.

"You talk far too much" she pressed her cold finger against my lips. "I've barely been able to fit a word in all night – Chatty Cathy"

"You're cold again – we should get you home" I removed her finger from my lip, her fingers slipping through mind, her hand just as cold as all the other times I have touch them.

"I always am" she whispered into my ear sending a shiver down my spine.

Reluctantly removing her from my lap, I stood up and brushed myself down. Placing my hands onto Caitlin's shoulders I sat her back down in the chair I have just vacated. "I'm going to the bathroom then we are leaving – stay here and don't move"

"Yes sir" she saluted me, swiping my beer from the table and bringing it to her lips. I guess she doesn't feel sick anymore I thought to myself.

I manoeuvred my way through the crowd of intoxicated people finding the bathroom in a quiet corner away from the loud music. I threw water in my face. This could not possibly be real. I just needed to wake up. There is no possible way that Caitlin of all people had come with me to a bar and gotten wasted beyond repair. I just about called an ambulance the minute she jumped on to that table. God this girl is driving me crazy "Pull it together Barry. Just take her home" I heard my own voice fall deaf on my ears, but if she was performing reckless acts in my presence imagine what kind of trouble she would get herself into in my absence "Oh god!" I practically bulleted out of the bathroom on route to find the platinum blonde bombshell, I slowed my run down to a steady walk- well as steady as a walk can be when you're intoxicated as I approached the table.

I was relieved find Caitlin perched on the table once again but this time sitting rather than standing and by the mop of dirty blonde hair of which I could only see the back off I would presume that she had met a new a friend. "So what is an intelligent pretty boy like you doing in a bar like this?" Caitlin asked

"Could say the same for you lil Ms Double Major" the stranger looked up at her his expression amused and his hands far too close to her legs for his liking.

"Well I came with a friend but he doesn't seem to know how to have fun" complained Caitlin I scoffed in disbelief I do too know how to have fun and I would be had I not been babysitting "Little Ms Mai Tai" all night, this is all her fault. .

"So why don't you talk to me instead" Pried the stranger "I could keep you company tonight" By this point my blood was practically boiling I'd be surprised it hasn't all turned to gas by now.

The stranger whose name I still didn't know had his hand placed on Caitlin's knee now I know that is probably the most innocent place a guy's a hands could think of going but I couldn't help as I walked over trying a different approach I walked around to the other side of the table Caitlin was seated on looking like a jealous boyfriend I wrapped my arms around her from behind my head coming to rest on her shoulder.

"Cait, is this guy bothering you " I asked sweetly breathing down her neck and holding her even close to me before lifting her off completely and placing her back on her feet. I turned my attention to the stranger. "Sorry. I don't believe I got your name."

"Theo" replied the stranger

"Nice to meet you Theo" yelled a very drunk Caitlin from under my arm

"Wish I could say the same" I mumbled under my breath Theo seemed to get the hint.

"Hey Caitlin, Can I have your number so I can contact you afterwards for that thing we spoke about " I burst out into a fit of laughter "Is something funny to you?" Theo asked.

"Actually yes" I responded "You see I've lived next to Caitlin for almost a year now and I still don't have her number what makes you think you're any different ?"

Theo chuckled lightly "Because unlike you. I'm man enough to ask for it" now it was Caitlin's turn to chuckle

"And I'm woman enough to say no. Every single time I'm not THAT drunk" she announced punctuating it with a roll of her eyes and swig of my beer – that was yet again swiped from me before collapsing on me again

"Woah" exclaimed Theo "I think you better get your girlfriend out of here before some guy tries to take advantage of her"

I looked at him incredulously "YOU were trying to take advantage of her just now had I not come back"

"What? No man you got it all wrong. But I'll let your girlfriend explain to you once she is slightly less ditzy" And with that he walked away

"NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" I yelled back

"Aww too bad – You look good together" A gay bartender voiced from behind me. I didn't even notice there was anyone else with us

"Who asked you?" I shot back, pulling Caitlin up from the chair she occupied, placing the almost empty bottle of beer back onto the table and dragging her pretty little butt to the exit.

* * *

Never in my life have I been so relieved to hear the sound of the elevator doors opening on our floor Caitlin who was still feeling weak dizzy after we had left the bar had decided that she wanted to be carried so long story short I ended up carrying her bridal style all the way up to our apartments. Earning a couple of ear piercing whistles and one guy in the lobby had even thrown about six foil packets at us So now here I was with this beautiful very conscious girl in my arms who had made it her life's mission to drive me to insanity. I thanked every ruin good in this universe that the elevator did not get stuck because honestly if it had I don't think I'd be able to control myself. She had spent the last 15 minutes alternating between blowing on my neck – almost as if she is trying to remind me she is still here and tracing her name into my chest – due to how much she has drank tonight, I'm surprised she is still able to spell it.

Stepping out of the elevator I walked over to Caitlin's door setting her down in front of it while I searched the contents of her purse for the key to her apartment "Caitlin , where is your key?" She turned to look at me as if I had just related out my plan for world domination.

"I put them in a safe place" she giggled.

"Well do you mind telling me where that safe place is?" She looked up at me for a second before rapidly shaking her head from side to side

"Hmm – Nope"

"Caitlin if you don't hand over your keys right now. We're going to be out here all night" I tried to reason with her but the Mai Tai queen wouldn't budge.

"But bad people will get my key and then they'll take my expensive champagne, tequila, vodka and my cocktail kit. I like my cocktail kit. What about my TV? And all my secrets? They're going to take my secrets Barry and then I'll have to buy new ones I'm not in the mood to buy stuff "she deadpanned "No Key – My key".

Sighing in defeat I grabbed her hand and pulled her along with me "Up where they walk ..." my eyes widened in realization… She wouldn't "Up where they run UP WHERE THEY SPEND ALL DAY IN THE SUN. OUT OF THE SE..." ok maybe she would. Fearing she would wake the neighbours I used my hand to muffle out her singing and hopefully shut her up "Wish I could be PART OF THAT WORLD" she continued to sing into my hand covering her mouth.

I took my own key out of my pocket slotting it in before forcefully pushing the door. With my one hand still over her mouth I wrapped the other around her waist lifting her up and carrying her into the apartment. Turning around I noticed a tinge of green colouring her features

"Barry, I think I'm gonna be sick " she says looking up at me, quickly taking action I rushed her into the bathroom and held her hair back while she threw up the contents of her stomach which should not have been a lot seeing that all she had all night was more Mai Tais than there were ingredients in the world. When she was done I gave her a brand new toothbrush and went to see if I could find anything for her to sleep in and get a beer. I'm going to need it tonight.

I had been in my room for all of ten minutes when Caitlin entered my room clutching onto five packets of sours. "No – no. Absolutely not" I said grabbing the colourful packets out of her hands.

"But Barry" she whined putting on her best puppy dog pout

"Nope not going to work, you just threw up. Not happening. You're hyper enough as it is. Bed time Elsa "I said pushing the pair of brand new boxer shorts and one of my smaller black shirts. She looked at the pile of clothing before shaking her head and dropping it to the floor. "Hey – hey, that's designer missy "I scolded bending down to pick them off the floor with the hand that was not holding my beer.

When I moved to stand up I found Caitlin was standing a lot closer than I assumed her to be, she took a step closer so there was barely any space between us, using her one hand to grab on to my collar almost as if inspecting it. "Hmmm" she debated her breathy tone caused me to swallow hard and my breathing intensified as I watched her almost study my shirt.

All she would have to do was look up and we would be lip locked but it would seem Caitlin had other plans I almost missed the mischievous glint in my eye before she made quick work of my buttons – Trying to get me out of the shirt.

"Woah there missy, what are you up to?" I asked gently grabbing her hands and stopping her from furthering her actions

"I want that one" she said tugging off my shirt.

"But I'm wearing this one" I voiced slowly

"And now you're not" she had successfully used my distraction as a way to get my shirt off turning around she pointed to the zipper on her dress. "Barry, undress me. I just about dropped the bottle I was holding in my hand.

I placed the opened bottle of vodka I was sipping onto my night stand before moving to unzip Caitlin's dress. The little number felt to her feet leaving Caitlin bare in just her heels and a set of "You have got to kidding me " I cursed under my breath when I saw royal blue lacy set she had on underneath. Getting lost in my less than holy thoughts I stood back to admire her. I must have been in dream land to long because Caitlin grew impatient throwing the shirt in my face she demanded I put it on her.

With the lacy twin set safely concealed beneath my shirt, the menacing smile returned to her face as she swayed from side to side before my eyes – to the point I thought she was going to hit the deck if she continued.

"You have nice eyes" she leaned in closer to me on her tiptoes, her sapphire blues drinking in my emerald orbs, her lips pouted so close to mine, if I were to stumble "accidentally "her lips would be on mine.

"Well you can't have them" I shot back sarcastically because she already swiped my shirt leaving me standing before her in only my jeans, she can't take my eyes too – even if it is impossible.

"I don't want them, how can I look at them if I have them – you didn't think about that one did you Sherlock"

"Get in bed" I pointed to the side of the bed nearest to the bathroom just to be safe.

"I don't want to go to bed – I think we should make cocktails"

"Caitlin you have had more than enough cocktails to last a lifetime, so you can either get into that bed on your own or I can just as easily put you there myself" I warned her while removing my jeans, no one should ever be made to sleep in jeans even if they have the irresistible goddess next door in their bed.

"So this is how you get girls into bed – you get them drink and manhandle them into your bed" she huffed folding her arms over her chest, something I really wish she hadn't due to the fact it made my shirt move higher up her thighs.

"No but I'll make an exception to you – it's your choice snowflake" I threw my jeans into the laundry basket, more than happy to manhandle her into bed if needs be, anything so she will sleep off the alcohol she has drank tonight, once she is in bed I know she is safe from hurting herself.

With another huff she stomped around the bed, only nearly falling twice which is a new lowest record for her, throwing the comforter to the bottom of the bed she finally jumped in on the opposite side to what I told her but I don't care, she is finally doing what she is told. Sighing in relief I climbed into the other finishing the last of the vodka left in my bottle.

"Where's my purse?" she sat on the bed crossed legged looking at me.

"Over there on the floor" I pointed towards the door wondering why she needs her purse in bed.

"OK" she began to get out of the bed again making me grab her arm to stop her from doing so – just in case it takes me another hour to get her back in it again.

"I'll get it, you stay there" I quickly got out of bed and retrieved the purse, handing it to her as I climbed back in again. "Can you go to sleep now?" I asked pulling the comforter from the bottom of the bed to cover us both.

"But I'm not tired" she whined chewing on her bottom lips, if only she knew how much I wanted to do that then she wouldn't be doing it, just watching her do so is sending my mind into over drive. "I want to dance – OH dance with me?"

"We can dance at the ball – go to sleep" I rolled onto my side to face her, silently praying she will do the same and go to sleep.

"But I want to dance now" she began digging through her purse – if she pulls any form of alcohol out of that thing then I'm going to hit the roof. How much can one little lady drink?

"You're a whiney drunk" I tried pulling her down onto the bed from her sitting position but failed.

"OH I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY" she began singing at the top of her lungs, throwing her purse to the side of the bed, she jumped up and started bouncing on the bed. "I WANNA FEEL THE HEAT WITH SOMEBODY"

Dear god it's like dealing with a child I thought to myself as I watched her, close to tying her to the bed to make sure she can't move or get up again. Finally standing still on the bed she looked at me, her face becoming serious as she studied me. Out of nowhere she began applying another layer of lipstick to her lips making me wonder if that is why she wanted her purse –for lipstick. Who the hell puts lipstick on when they're going to bed?

"That's it, down you come" I grabbed her arm, dragging her back down to the bed, landing she bounced a couple of times laughing.

"Can we do that again?"

"No"

Rolling over, she came to rest against my chest her face hovering over mine. "Why so grumpy?"

"I'm not grumpy –you're just drunk"

"DRUNK ON LOVE" she began to sing again.

"Please stop singing Elsa" I begged knowing if she continued then we're going to have some angry neighbours in the morning with the possibility of an eviction notice.

"What don't you like my singing?" she pouted, her eyes looking like a wounded child. "I'm Elsa in more ways than one CONCEAL, DON'T FEEL DON'T LET HIM KNOW!"

"Cait" I interrupted her bringing her frozen sing along to a standstill – even if she didn't have the correct lyrics.

"Hmm" she hummed in response,

"Go to bed" I switched the light off at the side of the bed, hoping she will get the message that now isn't the time for her to sing or dance.

"I'm already in bed – with you" she began to laugh again, what about I don't know but at this point I don't care as long as it ends in her going to sleep. "I'm in your bed – how crazy is that? – I mean less than a year ago I wouldn't let anyone near me and now look at me – in your bed with you. This is weird, don't you think it's weird –"

"Ok I'm going to be in the spare bedroom" I cut her off her mind flow. "If you need anything just ca… What are you doing?" I asked feeling something cold against my chest.

Reaching over to the side of the bed I switched the light back on to see what she was doing, only to see a tube of bright red lipstick on my bare chest.

"Can I have your arm please" she asked but began to lift it off the bed before I could answer.

"What are you doing?" I asked again looking at the random drawings on my chest in red lipstick.

"You wanted my number" she shrugged scrawling her number down my arm.

"You could have just added it to my phone, you didn't need to vandalise my body like it's your own personal colouring book"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"You're just giving me your number? Just like that? "

"Yep" she announced popping the "p" in typical Caitlin Snow fashion

"I'm not going to end up with emergency services at my door if I call this?"

"No-Pe! Why would you call emergency services when you could call me?" She asked crinkling the nose slightly at the apparent absurdity of my question

"Why didn't you give that guy your number in the bar – he looked into you?" I questioned because from what I could tell she was flirting with him as much as he was with her – and if she had just scrawled it across my arm so what had stopped her from giving it to him?

"Theo?" she questioned replacing the cap back onto the lipstick and throwing it onto the floor to join the rest of her purse and its contents now scattered across my bedroom floor.

"Yes did you like him?"

"I think he's more into you than me" she laughed lazily dragging her nails over my chest in random shapes and patterns.

"Didn't look like it to me – you looked very cosy together"

"Barry if he has to choose between you and me – you would always win believe me. He got a little giddy when you came back to the table" she looked me dead in the eye as she spoke.

"His hands were all over you" I stated as a matter of fact.

"Dear lord how are you so blind to what is right in front of you" she looked up at the ceiling?"

"I saw it with me own eyes, he was into you"

"Barry, Theo is in my biology class – the bar tender you shouted I wasn't your girlfriend to, is Theo's boyfriend – Theo is gay. Now do you see why you are more his type than I am – and I have to say he has great taste"

"But he was all over you" I stated shocked, wondering how I missed something that obvious. Clearly I was too occupied with where his hands were doing than what he was actually doing.

"He flirts with everyone – That's just how he is."

"So just to be clear – you don't like him at all?" I questioned feeling rather confused and relieved at the same time

"Dear god Barry – he's gay I don't see him as anything more than a class mate, he saw me sitting there and came to say hi – nothing more" she rolled her eyes at me.

"Ok – you can go to sleep now if you've finished vandalising my body" I reached over and turned the light back off. My arm automatically moving up to rest on her back the moment she laid her head back down on my chest.

"Wait. Were you jealous?" "What? Me? Jealous noo..." "Aww that's too bad she whispered into my chest "because I wanted to use Amelie's head as a bowling ball the minute she laid eyes on you" she said looking up at me innocently through her eyelashes ""Wait. Were you jealous?" I asked into the darkness.

Her confession caught me off guard and I don't know what to do with this new information. Caitlin was jealous because I was teaching some whore how to bowl, I was only being nice - I thought Caitlin knew my feeling for her, feelings like that don't go away overnight. I said I would be her friend because that is what she needs but it doesn't mean I still don't have feeling for her, hell anyone who doesn't feel something for her is crazy mad. She's beautiful and smart, that's a killer combination if I ever saw one.

"Wait – are you telling me that you were jealous of her?" I asked needing her to clarify this new information to me but also what she means by it.

"Your hands were all over her, who wouldn't be jealous? I wanted your hands all over me, not her I tried to get your attention by giving away one of my secrets but still you only saw her and in that moment I just wanted you to myself even though I've tried and tried to push you away, I warned you to stay away from me but the more I did the more I want to be around you – I have the pull towards you and the more I pull the away the stronger that pull is and that scares me." I felt her begin to move in my arms, until her hot breath started to fan my face telling me exactly where she was in the darkness. "I want to let you in, believe me I want that more than anything but I don't know how – for six years I have pushed away everyone who was or tried getting close to me and that is how I am now but you're different with you I feel a sort of freedom I don't have, I feel safe with you and that also scares me and I don't know what to do anymore because as much as I want to let you in, I can't because it's too dangerous and I don't want you too –"

Unable to think of anything else to do I closed the gap between us and pressed my lips against hers. It was the only way I could think to shut her up from rambling. I have been trying for the best part of a year to get her to open up and speak to me and now she is all I want to do is shut her up, to take the opportunity in front of me with both hands and run with it – they a sober man's thoughts are a drink man's words. Never have I wanted that statement to be true more than I did right now.

"Barry" she pushed at my chest, putting a little space between us.

"I know you're going to say we shouldn't do this but why not – it's what we both want, isn't it?" my hand found her cheek in the darkness, my thumb caressing the ice cold skin of her cheek. "I know you're going to try and talk yourself out of this but don't"

"I was just going to say I'll go to the ball with you"

Sliding my hand from her cheek into her platinum curls I brought her back down to meet my lips again. This time I felt her lips move in sync with mine, in my mind I have thought about this moment many times but not one of my fantasies are living up to the reality.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I lifted her small frame to allow her to expertly straddle me taking the opportunity to live yet another of my daydream fantasies by taking her bottom lip between my teeth and lightly tugging; smirking at the gasp of surprise that left Caitlin's mouth. Pushing myself up into a sitting position, I pressed my chest against hers, sliding my hands under my shirt she was still wearing which is no doubt covered in red lipstick marks by now, allowing my hands to explore her the soft cold skin off her back and sides. Bringing my hands back to the front, I gripped onto the shirt and unbuttoned the three buttons she has decided to fasten, running my hands up her stomach and breasts, I slid the now stained shirt from her shoulder, grabbing it she threw it in the general direction of the lamp shade at the far end of the room. Who was I to question her while she ran her hands up and down my taut frame?

Caitlin's hands found my hair, pulling at the strands so I would tilt my head back to allow her easier access, my ice queen obviously likes it rough I thought to myself as I deepened the kiss, getting all I can of her while it's on offer to me. Releasing her hands from my hair, I heard movement beside me.

"Open your mouth" Caitlin turned her head from me, forcing me to release her bottom lip from between my teeth.

"What?" I questioned confused as to why she wanted me to open my mouth.

"Just open your mouth"

Doing as asked, I opened my mouth only to feel her cold fingers move around my face, stopping at my lips. Wondering what was happening I felt a liquid being poured into my mouth, swallowing the liquid I felt the familiar burning at the back of my throat, realising it was the vodka I left at the side on the bed.

"You're not supposed to swallow it" she laughed filling my mouth again.

This time keep the spirit in my mouth wondering what she was doing but when she captured my lips in another passionate and needy kiss her tongue sliding into my mouth, splitting the vodka between the two of us with most of the clear liquid running down my chin and neck.

"Hmmm" she hummed against my lips, breathing away from me moments later. "Do you want more?" it didn't take a genius to work out what she meant.

"When it comes to you – I'll take whatever you're offering"

Opening my mouth again, the vodka filled my mouth and Caitlin's lips were on mine again within seconds, sharing the strong spirit again, making more run down my chin. In the darkness I heard the thud of the bottle being placed hazardly back onto the night stand accompanied by a roll of Caitlin's hips onto mine. her lips broke from mine again trailing down to my chin where she began to lick the vodka up before moving to my neck – her lips leaving investable makes where they touched.

"You're going to have to stop or else I will not be able to control myself" I panted as she rolled her hips again causing a groan to fall from my mouth.

"I don't want too" her hand pressed against my shoulders, forcing my back to hit the surface of the bed

Her lips found my neck again but didn't stay for long as she continued her trail down to my collar bone and chest and lower still. My hands found her ass, feeling the blue lace against my hands. Taking a tight grip grinding her hips onto mine harder – I know I should stop this but she's my drug and I can't stop, I need more.

"Cait we really need to stop" I found the strength to say knowing if this is going to stop before it goes too far then she is the one who is going to have to stop us.

"Shut up Allen" she said impatiently before meeting my lips again in a searing hot kiss that left me gripping onto her for dear life.

"You talk too much" she spoke between kisses, her hips grinding onto mine harder causing us both to cry out in pure bliss. If the neighbours weren't awake from the show she put on earlier. No doubt the noise we were making now during our escapade has probably woken the entire block but right now as she pressed her heat onto my body there could be a 50ft genetic mutant roaming the streets and I still wouldn't move from this position with her wrapped around my frame .

My hands began to explore the top of her thighs, moving slowly upwards to her ass then lower back and side again before coming to rest on her bra strap, fiddling with the clasp


	9. Chapter Eight

**A/N Sorry for taking so long to update, we did hope to have this posted sooner but we've both just been really busy but we hope the wait is worth it.**

 **As usual any questions just ask and we will answer them the best we can.**

* * *

Stupid – stupid – stupid. Everything around me is just stupid, all the songs, all the lights, that stupid robe and stupid pictures that make him look like a male model but when it comes to stupid - I'm in a league of my own. I'm stupid for allowing him into my life, for allowing him to break down my walls one brick at a time and for allowing him to see a glimmer of who I really am. The rain that had come out of nowhere and didn't look like moving on any time soon bounced against the tarmac as I looked out of the window, the rain accompanied by its partner in crime the wind that howled in the darkness – Invisible but powerful – just how Barry forced his way into my heart.

Pulling my legs up to my chest, I wrapped the blanket around my tighter, resting my head against the window as I watched the rain hit the floor in the small spot light. If I went and stood outside in the rain then no one would see the tears I am holding back, they can be masked by the rain – I wouldn't know which my tears are and which belong to the storm we are currently experiencing. Glancing at the woollen blanket I wanted to set it on fire – royal blue – why did it have to be blue? Squashing it up into a ball, I threw it as hard as I could.

Reaching across to the other seat, I grabbed the grey one which suited my mood at the moment. For the past hour I have been huddled into a ball, taking casual sips from the not so steaming cocoa and hitting the delete button on my phone – deleting every song, every video that reminds me of him and every photo of him or us I have. My thumb froze above the delete button I came across one of the selfies we took tonight in the back of the limousine that Barry had ordered to take us to the mascaraed ball. This selfie being the one which he took sneakily of me looking into his eyes. Flashback to Earlier that night

" _Come on Caitlin, when else will you be able to take a limo selfie?" Barry started nudging my arm like an excited child. Whoever let him book this thing should be fired. He's far too excited about being in a limo._

" _I don't know – On the way to your funeral?" I turned to look at him to show I'm being deadly serious. "If I take the selfie will you shut up?"_

" _Can we take one using every effect possible?" he began to move closer to me._

" _No – how much free memory do you think I have?"_

" _Come on Snow – you'll have to smile but hey it may never happen"_

" _I don't know, my fortune teller told me I'd experience a death soon, I have a hundred on it being yours" I shot him a smile, even if I believe fortune teller aren't just out to steal your money, I still wouldn't use one._

" _You're mean to me but it only tells me that you love me"_

" _You're right I do love you Barry Allen" I turned on the set to look him straight in the eyes. "I love seeing your back as you walk away" sliding back into my set, I folded my arms in my lap and looked at the dark screen separating us from the driver._

" _YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME WHEN I'M GOOOOOONE" Barry sang at the top of his voice, sitting forwards to grab two empty champagne flutes from near the mini bar._

" _I'll take those, thank you very much" I snatched them from his hands before he could break them._

" _How am I supposed to play the cups song without CUPS?"_

" _For a start you're supposed to use PLASTIC cups, not champagne flutes and second, leave the singing to Anna and the guy with tight pants"_

" _Fine. I promise I'll use plastic cups if you take a selfie with me"_

" _Will you get over that damn selfie" I shot back at him, sitting forwards to retrieve my glass of champagne knowing I'm going to need it if I am to last the night with Barry. We haven't even made it there yet and he's annoying me. Would a jury convict me for pushing him out of a moving limousine at speed and killing him?_

 _After taking a couple of cautious sips I placed it back onto the small table. "Come on Snowflake – if you don't take the selfie with me I will kiss you" I could hear the tease in his voice as he slid even closer to me on the black leather seat of the limo._

" _Which effect would you like to use first?" I opened my camera and clicked on the effect button. The idea of kissing Barry isn't the worst idea ever but it's never ever going to happen between us, we're friends and nothing else. Leaning into Barry as little as possible, I held my arm out and snapped the selfie- if it shuts him up then it's worth it._

" _Are you happy now?" I asked showing him the selfie._

" _You cut half of my head off" he grabbed the phone from my hand, looking at it as if it was the worst thing to ever happen in the history of man._

" _I would say I did it on purpose but it's impossible to get your massive head into a selfie, my arms don't stretch nearly as far enough" scratched my arm out in front of my again to prove my point before moving them to circle his head._

" _I'll do it" he sighed reopening the camera, clicking on several effects before settling on one he was happy with"_

" _Maybe I don't want a camera roll full of your ugly mug shots – let's call it a happy coincidence I can't fit all your head in"_

" _Very funny but I know you want this as much as I do" sliding his arm between my back and the seat, he pulled me flush against his side._

" _If I wanted to see you I would have to do is check my couch – you're there half the time – like a nightmare life size cut out that never goes away" I said eerily. I hate to admit it but I do like having him on my couch but right now I like how we fit together perfectly, my small frame sliding against him like a jigsaw piece._

" _Now smile Cait – we're trying black and white" his head rested against mine._

" _Maybe I don't want to smile" I told him honestly before he came into my life I hardly smiled,_

" _You're with me, why what isn't there to smile about?"_

" _Everything" I shot back seriously. I wouldn't even be coming to this ball if he hadn't off asked me and if I could I would have it that we're spending time alone in my apartment or his. Not with a room full of strangers hiding behind masks and wondering who they are taking home at the end of the night._

" _Smile or I'll tickle you" the moment the words left his mouth I snapped my head to look at him to see if he is being serious or not and judging by the look on his face – he is more than serious._

" _Lay on finger on me and I will not be held responsible for my actions" I point my finger at him as a warning. If he tickles me there is a 99.9% chance of him taking a foot to his manhood and an elbow to the face._

" _So my little snowflake is ticklish – tell me do you have that girly giggle when someone tickles you?"_

" _Why don't you try it - may as well use this limo for your funeral while we have it"_

" _Ouch Caity that hurts" he faked hurt, covering his heart with his hand._

" _Would you look at that – it's white and everything, perfect for your funeral" I stuck my tongue out at him. Jumping as he went to grab the end of my tongue with his fingers._

" _Hey Cait" Barry spoke making me look up at him._

" _What now?" I searched his face, trying to figure out what he wanted now._

" _Nothing but we look like we're madly in love" he grinned "the way you're looking into my eyes" he showed me the black and white selfie he had just taken. Both of us looking into each other eyes – to anyone else who saw that photo they would think we are happy and unable to take our eyes off each other._

" _How delightful – delete"_

" _Hey! I like it; I might make it my new screensaver"_

" _If you want your selfie so much just get on with it" I rested my head on his shoulder and smiled waiting for him to take it._

" _I think we look good in black and white" Barry whispered into my ear as he continued to take selfie after selfie, encouraging me to pull stupid face with him while he did so._

 _I can't believe I fell for that, we continued taking selfies and emptying out the champagne bottle until we arrived at the venue. The driver jumped off to help us out of the limousine but Barry politely dismissed him once he had opened the door instead stepping out and offering me his own hand "You ready?" He asked once I had found my footing_

 _"As I'll ever be" I responded with a sense of false enthusiasm._

* * *

 _With a hand on my back, Barry led me into the middle of the not so crowded dancefloor. I had protested over fifty times in the last minute throwing around excuses like I didn't want to dance even going as far as saying I didn't want to dance - total lie. I took ballroom dance lessons for years ... But Barry doesn't need to know that try as I might the resilient boy would not take no for an answer I'm beginning to think the word doesn't even exist in his vocabulary the kid would put Jim Carey's "yes man" to shame._

 _My heart pounded in my chest a we reached the middle of the dancefloor, Barry turned to face me, his hands gripping my waist gently while he took a step closer to me – closing the space between us. Trying to hide the fact my hand were shaking I placed them onto his shoulders as we began to sway side to side in time to the music, my eyes found the familiar emerald of Barry's that I had grown so accustomed to over the past year I felt the corners of my lips turn up slightly as I searched his eyes, the smile on his face only making them look brighter than ever enhanced simply by the black frame of his mask._

" _I'm not going to bite you" he chuckled taking his hand from my hip bone to grip my hand, spinning me around._

" _What do you mean?" I asked confused settling back into his arms again._

" _You don't have to stand so far away from me" before I could reply, he placed his hands on top of mine, slowly sliding them up to wrap them around his neck._

 _Barry wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his toned slender frame, allowing me to feel every fine edge and line of his body through his tuxedo. My breath caught in my throat as Barry rested the side of his head against mine, his words trickling down my neck, sending an unwanted sensation down my spine._

" _This is one of my favourite songs" Barry turned his head, to the point he almost had it tucked into the crook of my neck as the song changed to an equally slow tempo which did have a little more of a beat than the last. "You look beautiful tonight"_

 _Turning my head to face him, I froze realizing how close we are – all I had to do is move less than an inch and my lips would be upon his. "You're looking rather sharp yourself" I found myself running my fingers through the end of his thick, soft hair at the top of his neck._

" _Through the storm, we reach the shore." Barry began to sing down my ear, loud enough so only I could hear him. His velvet voice sending me body into a calm as I slumped against him, my eyes falling shut as I rested my head on his shoulder "You give it all but I want more and I'm waiting for you. I can't live without or without you; I can't live with or without you. I can't live. I can't live with or without you" he continued to along to the song as we swayed back and forth on the spot._

 _With his voice filling my mind, it felt as if we were the only people in the room. Losing myself in our personal bubble, all the anxiety I felt about coming here tonight disappeared with each lyric that left his lips. In his arms I felt as if nothing could harm me, that I wasn't the killing machine I know I am. In his arms I feel normal and alive and I never want to lose this feeling of security._

 _As the lyrics die leaving the end of the song to play out, Barry began to hum into my ear – a sound that has quickly become my favourite sound in the world. The simple melody of his voice caused my body to relax making me lean into him more as we continued to sway in time to the beat while he drew random shapes onto the small of my back_

" _I'm happy you decided to come tonight" he spoke into my ear, lifting his head from it resting place against the side of my head._

" _Me too" I smiled as I found his pair of greens "There's just on small problem" I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip._

" _What is it?" he asked a look of panic and worry taking over his features as he looked around the room trying to find what could be wrong._

" _You're bow tie is crooked and I don't want you embarrassing me" removing my arms from around his neck I began to straighten his bow tie out as the song finally ended and changed to another slow song. "There all fixed – you look presentable now"_

 _My hands lingered on his chest feeling the hard muscles hidden behind his black tuxedo, neither of us saying anything just looking at each other, our bodies moving together in time to the new song sounding around the room but at the same time neither of us paying attention to the song or the other people in the room. All of a sudden we were back out in bubble – our own universe where nobody else mattered._

 _With on hand remaining on his chest, the other slid around his neck at the same time Barry tightened his arms around my waist, pulling me in closer to him so I was pressed against his chest – trapping my hand between us. Fisting my hand around the lapel on his tuxedo afraid that is Barry loosened his grip on my then I would melt to the floor._

" _No-No-No" the voice in my head screamed as Barry began to lean in and I followed his lead. This can't happen – it will ruin everything. We are friends – nothing more. Clearing my throat I pushed backwards against his arms to put a little space between us. "I need the bathroom" I lied knowing I needed to get away from him before I did something I will regret later – if anything I need a good strong drink._

 _Excusing myself I made my way towards the ladies bathroom but turned and headed towards the bar area leaving Barry stood alone on the dancefloor. Pushing my way through the crowd to get to the bar, I caught the attention of one of the bar tender "Double vodka neat thanks" I smiled knowing I need something strong and a little pep talk to myself to get my head back into the game._

 _Taking my drink from the bar tender, I emptied the glass in one go, leaving the empty glass on the bar. If ever there was a good time to have a free bar then it would be now as all drinks are covered in the ticket price then again an open bar with a room full of college students probably not the best idea._

 _I was about to leave and go back to my date when a tall brood blonde blocked my way "Hey beautiful, can I get you a drink" I rolled my eyes at the offer,_

 _"No thanks, I'm a big girl – I can get my own drink" I declared shoving him out of my way and then turning to grab the vodka I had ordered for Barry._

 _Walking back to the middle of the dance floor to apologize to Barry for running out on him, My eyes raked over the various figures trying to signal out a single figure that would be looking confused and hurt instead they came to rest on a happy couple dancing to the beat. The girl smiled absolutely dazzling as her partner twirled her, I moved forward to get a closer look and to my surprise discovered that the mysterious beauty was in fact the not so lovely Aurora whom Barry seemed to be smitten with earlier on I looked on in horror once I realized her partner was none other than my date himself. Barry looked to be having the time of his life as he arithmetically moved to the music._

 _I have been gone for all of five minutes and he's ready moved on to someone else. In the time it took me to drink a double vodka and receive on for him - he's found another female to dance with. One who I hate to say is beautiful._

 _I stood just to the side of the dance floor holding the drink I had brought for Barry, my grip strangling the glass as I watched them move together with such ease. Why I am doing this to myself I don't know - maybe I should just leave and let him be, allow them to be happy. Judging by the smile on Barry's face he is very happy, I have seen him smile so many times yet I have never seen him smile at me like that. Barry's hand slowly slid around her back, pulling her in closer bring the feeling of his hands shaking against my back as he began to tie the corset on the back of my dress while his breath danced over my bare neck. His fingers brushed against my pale skin as he secured it at the top before his hands slowly slid to my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder catching my eyes in the mirror._

 _The feeling that sat in the pit of my stomach as we stood locked in a gaze earlier this evening returned as I stood watching him dance with Aurora. Of all the people he could have chosen to dance with her picked her which brought unpleasant memories from past back to the surface. It would have been easier for me to hand him a knife and a tub if salt… It wouldn't hurt as much._

 _Whenever I spend time with Barry it makes me realise I would do anything within my power to protect him and I have tried letting him in but it's easier said than done. I would love to have more of a romantic relationship with him but I can't it's too dangerous, one wrong move and I'll ruin everything, I've hurt to many people in the past - I can't hurt anyone else... Especially Barry ... Even if he does make me angry._

 _I don't know if I'm imagining it but it feels like every time we spend time together we grow closer, he makes me want to share every moment of my life with him... Past... Present and future then he goes and pulls a stunt like this. Did I imagine our almost moment on the dance floor not even an hour ago?_

 _All the time I have stood here he hasn't look anywhere other than at Aurora, he hasn't even looked up to see where I am ... Am I just a distant memory now that he has found someone else? To say I'm angry would be an understatement... He asked me to come here tonight, almost begged me to and this is what I get after he promised not to leave me - he goes and does just that. Over thirty minutes I have been gone and he hasn't even looked around the room to look for me. Instead I have to stand and watch as he spends song after song dancing with somebody else ... While some other woman gets to be in his arms ... The place I should be... I'm supposed to be in his arms, laughing with him, having his hands explore my waist, lower back and hips. I should be the one hearing his laugh in my ear and laughing with him ... Not some random person he met on the way into the building._

 _Feeling the blood boil in my veins, I drank the vodka I was holding for Barry hoping that with each song that ended he would come and find me and I could give it to him but that hope died with each song that started again and he continued to dance with her._

 _"That son of a ..." I muttered under my breath. Making a split second decision I turned to a random guy snatching his still full glass of wine straight out of his hand "Excuse me. Do you mind if I borrow this? Thank you" I marched over to the culprit not caring who was watching._

 _I tapped Barry on the shoulder getting his attention before pouring the red wine on his head allowing it to stain the crisp white collar of his shirt. "I did get you something a little stronger but I see you prefer to do the 'easy' stuff now – so I drank that" I death glared his companion and made my exit with my head held high._

 _High fiving a few people as I went along even though the tears and banshee screams were threatening to escape. Barry had betrayed me, After all those promises. Promising to stay by my side and the unspoken one of being willing to wait, He broke my trust just like that. One second in a bar and I come back to my worst nightmare. Running down the staircase leading into the garden I lost my balance causing my shoe to tumble down and in true Cinderella fashion I left it there. Choosing to abandon the other in a pot plant as well instead of retrieving the fallen one – I could always buy another pair next month._

 _The sound of frantic footsteps followed closely behind me "Caitlin. Wait!" Barry hollered desperately trying to catch up to me ironically he tripped over my shoe bracing himself on the railing just in the nick of time two seconds later and he would have plummeted face first to the ground "Caitlin. What the hell? Stop" He called_

 _"No" I heard myself responding back "No, I will not stop. I am tired of this continuous circle of betrayal in my life. How could you Barry? After I let you in you go and screw everything up" I yelled into the breezy autumn night._

 _Barry finally caught up to me "Screwed up? Me? You're the one who dumped the alcohol on my head as if I myself were the open bar – What the hell Caitlin? If you were bored of me already you could have just said so" He snapped at me looking rather ticked off._

 _"Barry" came a voice from the distance. Well looks like Barry's latest muse had decided to join the party_

 _"Likewise" I said looking him dead in the eye "Except you clearly find other forms of entertainment before you get bored of the usual one I said gesturing to Aurora who hadn't yet spotted us was hopelessly looking around the area at the top of the staircase_

 _"Aurora?" he questioned chuckling without humour "You have got to be kidding me. You know I actually brought you here as my date right? Because I wanted to spend time with you because God Caitlin you know what? I fell for you. I fell so hard, full well knowing you were never going to catch me so I offered to be your friend because I keep being drawn to you like a stupid moth to flame. I sat through 10000 Disney movies cuddling with you and practically dating you only to be considered just a friend. You keep changing your mind and I don't think I can deal with that. You're like a damn Katy Perry song personified, I love you but you know what not even loving YOU is worth all of THIS" he declared making a show of tugging at his now sopping wet tuxedo._

 _I rolled my eyes at his clearly falsified speech "Cut the bull Barry - just got back inside and have fun, I knew coming here was a mistake"_

 _"Bull?" Questioned Barry "Caitlin I just poured my heart out to you and you're accusing me of making that up – Making my feelings up." he yelled throwing his hands up in the air._

 _"Barry" Aurora's voice grew louder as she made her way down the staircase_

 _"Better go Barry one of your dickwhipped chicks is here for you ... be careful you don't trip over her tongue on the way back inside"_

 _"Just because she isn't a prude like you"_

 _"What is that supposed to mean?"_

" _You know exactly what I mean"_

" _Leave me alone Barry I'm dangerous"_

" _No come here Barry - No go away Barry - How many times can you play this game before you get bored?"_

 _"Leave me the hell alone Barry - one final piece of advice - makes sure you put something on the end of it, you never know what you can catch from someone like her"_

" _There it is again" he mumbled._

 _"What?" I asked by now my blood was boiling and I could already see the tips of my clear manicure reverting back to blue._

 _"That God damn tongue of yours. At least Aurora actually listens to me" he voiced "You know her do you, you know everything about her?"_

 _"I've seen her type all boob and no brain"_

 _"Ever heard the saying don't judge a book by its cover?"_

 _"You're using that for her - don't make me laugh all she cared about is what's behind your zipper not you" my chest heaved and voice had grown hoarse from screaming._

 _"You know what Caitlin - just leave you're right you shouldn't have come tonight and I should have never of invited you. I thought you were different but you are just the cold hearted bitch I thought you were. No wonder your dad committed suicide – Who could actually live with you?"_

 _My heart broke at the declaration. Tears pooled in my eyes but I refused to give Barry the satisfaction of seeing them fall free Barry seemed to have realized what he said as I watched his anger merge into an amalgamation of concern regret and horror "Caitlin... I didn't mean..." without realizing it I raised right hand a slapped soundly across the cheek_

" _I'm done with you. From this day forward we will be nothing more than neighbours" but Barry's eyes seemed to be locked on mine staring at them in wonder._

 _"Cait your eyes are silver. Are those snowflakes?" he asked. Oh great it is worse than I thought._

 _I knew my blood was already boiling and I caught a glimpse of blue tinge on my lips as I past the fountain. Barry may have hurt me but I still didn't want to hurt him call it a pull, tether or just common courtesy. I didn't want to kill Barry Allen so I used his momentarily distraction to run away from him._ _My long dress slowed me down quite a bit so to buy myself some time. I discretely created a slab of ice on the grass behind me. Barry was now sprinting to get to me trying to reach me before I did the limo._

 _"Caitlin, please wait. Cait! Plea... OW! WHAT THE HELL how did ice even get here? My plan worked perfectly Barry slid down my trap effectively buying me more time but as I watched him trying to balance on his feet like a new born fawn I stopped dead in my tracks "Caitlin I didn't mean that, I'm sorry for bringing up your dad"_

 _I laughed humourlessly "You Barry Allen, have no idea what I'm capable of. You don't even know who I truly am. So don't think even for a second that you do"_

 _"I spent one whole year practically living with you Caitlin. I think I know at least half of it"_

" _and you never will. I don't want you in my life as much as you clearly hate having me in yours" By this time the commotion had finally led Aurora to us she ran over to Barry concern etched into her flawless features_

 _"Barry. Oh my god. What happened? What did you do to him?!" she asked accusingly looking up at me._

 _"Oh look your groupie is here" I chuckled dryly_

" _You know what" started Barry clutching Aurora as she tried to help him to his feet "Get out of here Caitlin. Go and live your life._ _I was better off without you in mine anyway." He said dryly before pulling Aurora in for a breath taking kiss acting as if we weren't about to claim each other's lips a mere thirty minutes ago_

 _Unable to believe that Barry would actually admit out loud my biggest fears and treat me like roadkill I ran the Fifteen steps to the limo and instructed the driver to take me home. I took one last look through the glass observing how easily Barry and Aurora supported each other making their way back to the venue as If nothing had happened_

* * *

After such a wonderful start to the evening I am now sitting here alone in the dark of night staring at a blank screen feeling sorry for myself and infuriated with Barry 'I'll never leave you' Allen. Well so much for that.

I was lost in my thoughts fingers tapping at the screen when suddenly it blared to life the god damn elements song echoed through the air. When in the hell did I even get that song? But if I thought the song was a surprise nothing prepared me for the caller ID flashing on the screen. It was Barry's, Choking back angry tears I answered the stupid call only to end the ringing and was about to send it to voice mail when my finger slipped and accidentally put it on speaker instead

"Caitlin pick up" Came the voice through the phone. I tried to be deathly silent. Hoping he would cut the call before I had to "Elsa I know you're there. I can hear you breathing..."  
"Oh flip" I cursed out loud.

"Ha! I knew it. Please open the door"

"No! What do you want?"

"I want to apologize to you. I'm Soo sorry for earlier tonight. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean any of it" he begged me "please Cait. Open the door."

"No Barry! I can't open the door plus you made it pretty clear that you were sick of my company. So much for never leaving me" I yelled back tears now falling freely down my porcelain skin

"Caitlin. I'm sorry ok. Look through your peep hole. See I have Chinese and donuts from our favourite bakery " I could imagine him standing outside my apartment holding up both item into the air while trying to balance a pint of Ben and Jerry's it had become a ritual for either one of us to being ice cream over it need not be listed it was always a given.

I must have silent for too long because Barry tried a new approach "Ok fine. I didn't want it to come to this but you leave me no choice ..." I picked up my phone staring at it in horror once I realized what he was about to do "WISH I COULD BE PART OF YOUR WORLD" only Barry Allen would be stupid enough to sing my favourite song in a hallway of an apartment that was home to the very rich and grumpy

"Barry. Stop singing it is one in the bloody morning. You're gonna wake the neighbours. You idiot" But he didn't listen

"What would I do if I could live out of these waters?"

"God Barry stop singing" I scolded once more.

"The singing stops once you open the door ".

I sighed "Well it looks like you're going to spend the rest of your life singing because I'm not even in my apartment ... Yes please another strawberry daiquiri please" That seemed to jolt him out of his karaoke rendezvous. Unfortunately he had also heard my request to the waiter "Daiquiri? Caitlin? I will ask this once. Where the hell are you?" He questioned deathly calm.

"Hmm I'm afraid that is classified information."

"Which freaking bar are you at?! Tell me! I am coming to get you!"

"Barry I'm not in a bar and I'm not in my apartment."

"Well I just heard you order alcohol so I'm giving you two seconds to tell me where you are or I swear to god I will track your phone"

"I'M GOING HOME" I blurted out unable to stop myself.

"What?" Came the shocked voice

"I'm going home "I voiced more slowly this time "there is nothing keeping me here any longer so I'm going home. Goodbye Barry" Switching my phone off, I tossed it onto the seat beside me.

* * *

 **What did you think?**

 **Cait is leaving and they've fallen out … how sad.**

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 **Thank you for reading.**


	10. Chapter Nine

Three weeks, 21 days of enduring the constant ringing, beeping and buzzing from my phone – it's a wonder I have yet to put it on silent. If Barry hasn't gotten the message by now that I don't want to talk to him then honestly I don't think he ever will. Bringing the large glass of liquid fire to my lips I took a large mouthful of the ruby red liquid and watched as my phone danced into life across the coffee table yet again, Barry's name clear to see on the display.

Ignoring the buzzing I switched the lamp on beside the sofa and headed over to the book shelf which stored my childhood memories, pulling the photo album from them shelf I dragged my feet back across the thick carpet and slumped down on the floor beside my suddenly quiet phone. I flicked open the first page while waiting for the small notification that was sure to appear at the top of the screen to tell me alerting me that I received yet another voicemail from Barry... Just like it has done for the past three weeks without fail continuously taunting me to listen to the little messages he had been leaving me. It's been getting harder and harder to listen to his voice on the other end begging me to forgive him and let him know I'm alright... I cannot tell you how many times I had almost called him back. It happened so often that dialling his number was now a subconscious action. A ritual I fact that probably started after I had heard the very first voicemail...

 **Week One**

 _For hours I have been lay here, tossing and turning just like the past six nights while my phone sits in mockery on the night stand beside the bed. Flipping onto my right side again I looked at the small white square of my phone wondering if I was to take it over to the window and throw it out would I be able to sleep them but quickly came to the conclusion that I wouldn't because it will only make me more curious as to what he had to say. How can one little notification at the top of a screen drive someone so insane with curiosity?_

 _I want to listen to it … I do but I also don't because I don't want to hear his voice. I don't want to know what he has to say. He hurt me a lot and made me feel and look a fool. My pride is too strong for that. My pride will not allow me to listen to it know if I do then I will want to talk to him, I will allow him to explain and I will forgive him for everything he has done._

 _Looking at the clock beside the bed to see the bright red numbers telling me it was 4:37am I tried to convince myself it was wrong as I pressed the home button on my phone bright the screen to life to see that also confirmed the time was right but also gave me a reminder of that voicemail begging to the listened too._

 _Snatching my phone up I rolled onto my back and in a moment of madness allowed myself to listen to it, going through all the procedure they expect you too just to listen to your own messages. Press this and press that._

" _Cait" Barry's voice filled my head followed by a long pause. I held my breath waiting for him to continue. Just hearing his voice say my name more than enough to make me want to hang up and call him, even if it is middle of the night. "It's me" he finally continued bring a small smile to the corner of my lips. I know it's him he doesn't have to tell me that. "I know you said you're not here anymore but I'm still sat outside your door. I made a huge mistake and I understand that. You have to believe me when I say the last thing I wanted to do is hurt you, I never ever ever want to hurt you. So what I'm trying to say is if you are in there can you please open the door so we can talk and if you're not then call me so we can talk. I'll wait for your call. I need to know you're ok… that we're ok and that we're still friends. I will not bother you again just call me"_

 _Dropping my phone onto the bed beside me, it made me wonder how long he did sit there for, he left me that voice mail six days ago and I doubt he is still there but did he sit there all night, asleep on my doorstep? Or is he just saying that to make me feel guilty? I knew listening to that voicemail would be a bad idea; it's made me even more curious than I was to begin with._

 **Week Two**

 _Considering Barry told me he wouldn't bother me and that I am to contact him when I want to, you would think my phone would be as dead as a door mouse but no it has been going off none stop all night because of him, as each called died I got another notification that he has left another voicemail, the grant total as it stands right now being four – he has left me five voicemails in the last hours._

 _Ignoring my phone once again I continued to drive my fists into the bag of sand suspended from the ceiling, I needed something to let of steam and to relax me and my father suggested I tried taking all the anger out on a punch bag like he did and even still to this day – whenever I feel over whelmed, angry or burning some energy I will take on a the bag of sand and give it everything I have, hoping for the best. Knowing I will come out the other side, clear minded and distressed._

 _My fists and feet continue to make contact with the bag in fluid movements one after another but unlike normal it only made my anger worse – No Barry made my anger worse. He said he wouldn't bother yet he is calling none stop for the past hour. Never mind it is almost midnight, what happened to what I thought was him telling me he would wait until I was ready to talk, that he will wait for me to call him. Did that vanish into thin air like almost every other promise he made me?_

" _I don't know who that poor bag is supposed to be but I feel sorry for them – maybe it's time to head to bed before you hurt yourself" I heard a familiar voice say from behind me bring a small smile to my face. It doesn't matter what mood I am in – some people just know how to make everything ok._

" _I'm not tired yet" I spoke over my shoulder. "I'm going to continue a little longer" I took small sips off water from my bottle._

 _"Caitlin you really should stop" he approached the situation carefully. Knowing exactly how quickly and violently I could erupt when my emotions were unstable_

 _"I said I was fine" I assured him while discretely holding the ice cold water bottle to my now red hand_

 _"Caitlin. It wasn't a suggestion. If you continue like that, it's going to be a mission to get an ambulance out here not to mention those poor souls would have to drive in the dark... "_

 _Having had just about enough of people pitying me I let my anger get the better of me "I SAID I WAS FINE"_

 _Taking one more look at my anger fuelled state he sighed in defeat "Then wrap your hands correctly, I don't know how many times I have to tell you"_

" _You're not my father, you can't tell me what to do"_

" _I know I'm not your father and I never will be but that doesn't mean I don't care for you so whatever is eating you alive. Deal with it before you cause yourself an injury"_

 _Without another word I was left by myself again but the words echoed around my mind, deal with whatever is eating me alive before I injure myself. The thing eating me alive is Barry and his none stop calling, is he dying or something because why else would he continuously call me after he said he would leave me alone and wait for me to contact him. With one last punch at the bag I grabbed my phone and dropped to the floor crossed legged and decided to get the pain over with._

 _Going through the ordeal of press this and press that again only for the robotic woman on the other end to tell me I now had six messages waiting for me, with a deep breath for courage I started with the first one._

" _Cait it's been a week. I've been constantly banging on your door to the point the neighbours have filed a complaint with the landlord. I'm starting to think you've really gone but I don't want to believe it. You know tonight I thought I heard movement coming from your apartment but I soon realised that I'm wishing to hard for it to be real that I'm now hearing things. I wish you were here, I miss you and I'm sorry…. Again"_

 _Before I could think do about it, I quickly skipped onto the next one which I received three hours after the first one._

" _Caitlin it's me again … I'm sorry I said I wouldn't bother you but I miss you" he paused making me knot my eyebrows together due to how different his voice sounded. Has he been drinking? I asked myself as I sat patiently waiting for him to continue. "I miss you so much; I miss you so much that I'm listening to Adele. This woman is a genius, Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead – that is so true Caity but never mind I'll find someone like you"_

 _For some reason that one hit me straight in the heart, is this his musical way of telling me he's giving up on me. That he doesn't want to know me anymore. Needing to know what comes next I quickly skipped onto the next message._

" _It's me again … CAIT … I need you please say something I'm giving up on your … ok I'm not giving up on you. I promise I'll never give up on you and I don't want someone else. Please call me"_

 _If it wasn't confirmed before that last message confirmed that he has been drinking and sounding more wasted with each message that passes which made me eager to hear the next one._

" _No matter where you go, you know you're never alone. I'm only one phone call away; I'll be there to save the day. Superman got nothing on me. I'm only one call away … I'm being serious Elsa … one call so CALL ME"_

 _If he wasn't making it hard enough for me to not call him after that it made me want to call him even more. Even wasted he still sounds like an angel when he sings – how is that even fair? I try to sing sober and I sound like someone strangling a cat yet Barry Allen sounds like a freaking angel. As much as I didn't want to listen to the last one knowing my inner strength to call him is slowly weakening I need to know what he says – every cell in my body is calling out to hear that final message which me left not even twenty minutes ago._

" _I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid, Tell me princess now when did you last let your heart decide? I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder. Over, sideways and under on a magic carpet ride" Barry sang down the phone as I mouthed the words along with him, until he paused again and took a deep breath "We should watch Aladdin it's such a good movie, you can be the Princess Jasmine to my Aladdin. I wish I had three wishes my first would be to see your face right now; you're probably doing that cute frowning thing because I called you princess. My second would to have you call me back because I'm becoming desperate now, I need to know you're ok and my last wish is to be with you, I miss you Caitlin more than you know but genie has taken the night off so I'll sit here by the phone and wait for your call." Another pause came as a meow like yawn sounded down the phone which told me as much as he says it, he will not be sat by the phone waiting for my call he's probably fast asleep by now. "I want my best friend back… so pick up the phone and call me… I think that is everything I have to say so goodnight Elsa, sleep tight and sweet dreams"_

 _The stupid robotic female voice returned to tell me I had reached the end of my messages which I was happy about. For some reason hearing him say I am his best friend felt like he was stood in front of me saying it while he took a knife and plunged it into my heart repeatedly. That is all I will ever be to him – I will only ever be his friend or best friend as he said. I am forever to just be his friend and nothing else but what if I want more than friendship with him? What if I need MORE than friendship from him? Clutching my phone against my chest I found myself curled up in a tight ball on the floor silently sobbing to myself. It would have been easier to hear if he said he was giving up on me at least I can do something about that but this. I've been friend zoned and I know I only have myself to blame. He's probably been out drinking with Aurora she is probably with him now. Her lips on his while he holds her close when it should be me he is with but I left him so once again I am the cause of my own misery._

The calls continued to flood in as my voicemail began to slowly fill up again with his voice. Since his night of drunken voicemails I haven't listened to any of them. I can't – I can't sit and listen to him call me his best friend again when I want more than that but I'm also afraid of more, what if I hurt him. I warned him time and time again that I am dangerous and that I can hurt him but he doesn't understand – he doesn't understand just how dangerous I am.

Running my fingertips lightly over the family photo of my parents both hugging me at around age six I felt the tears begin to build again as the memories of happier times filled my mind. When I didn't have a care in the world and I had parents who loved me – who understood me. When I didn't have to be who I am now, when I didn't have to put on a brave face in public and hide away when alone, back when I wasn't scared of anything because I knew no matter what my parents would be there to protect me.

Flipping the page I came across a photo of just my parents, the love they had for each other clear to see in the way they looked at each other, when I was younger I would always wish that I would find someone who looked at me the way they looked at each other – a small part of me still wishes now and the truth is I've found that person but I'm scared of hurting him but I know by pushing him away I am also hurting him so whatever I decide I can't win.

"I miss you both" I spoke to the photo as I brought the wine to my lips taking a large gulp. "I wish you were both still here because I really need you both right now. I feel so lost and I don't know what to do" the tears began to silently fall down my cheeks as I spoke out loud.

To someone on the outside I might look like a crazy person talking to myself but what else can I do, they're not here to give me advice anymore and I need some so the best I can do is tell them how I feel even if they can't hear me – it can only make me feel a little better right?

"Mom I'm so sorry, I never meant to do it – I hope you can forgive me. I love you so much and I need my mother now but you're not here but that doesn't mean I don't think about you, I think about you every day. There was a time I could tell you anything and you would never judge me, you would support me so please forgive me. I need to know you can forgive me. It might be a little late but I really am sorry – if I could turn the clocks back I could but I can't" the edge of my index finger traced the outline of my mother's face as I spoke through my tear filled vision.

Flipping the page again, I felt my heart skip a beat as I came across a photo of my father and I outside in the garden, with our matching platinum hair and blue eyes. The memory of my mother telling us to get closer and stop messing around so she could take the photo came flooding back to me but my father didn't listened, he continued to tickle me which made me squirm around in his arms which annoyed my mother.

"I don't know why you did it but I'm beginning to understand. The life we have been given isn't easy and I want you to know that I'm not angry anymore, I'm not angry that you left me but I need your help now. You said I would be drawn to people and I need to figure out of it's a good thing well it's finally happened, for the first time in my life I've finally felt that pull and I think it's a good thing but how do I really know – you never told me. Daddy I think I love him but I'm scared of hurting him, how did you know you wouldn't hurt mom. You spent most of my life teaching me how to control my powers but how do I ensure that I don't hurt him, I've lost to much in my life already – I can't lose him by my hand. I want to let him in – I really do but I don't want to take his life, I'd prefer to take my own first" I sighed knowing maybe it would be easier to end it all now.

No one would really miss me, I like to think Barry would but as time passed I would just become a distant memory to him. He will move on and start a life with someone else. Could we ever have a normal life if he knew what I am capable of? I know my parents made it work and were happy but that doesn't mean I would be happy with Barry – if he learns the truth about me then he might think I'm a monster, he'll finally see me for the monster I really am.

"Daddy I need you to tell me what to do. I can't do this alone" finishing the rest of the wine in my glass, I placed the empty glass onto the table to refill when I feel like doing so. "Give me some sort of sign as to what to do" I begged.

Suddenly my phone Sprung to life again on the coffee table, placing the album onto the floor beside me. I saw Barry's name flashing across the screen. I don't know if this is my sign but I wasn't in the mood to find out right now. Reaching my hand out, I declined the call.

"Caitlin, are you there?" I heard Barry's voice making my heart race. "Cait I know you're there, I can hear you breathing. Please don't hang up"

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I carefully reached over and brought my phone closer deciding to listen to what he has to say. After all, the worst it could do is save me from having to endure another voicemail

"Caitlin please talk to me, I'm begging you now. It's been three weeks and I need to know you're ok, please just tell me where you are so I know you're ok so I don't need to worry. I miss you – please Cait talk to me" his voice sounded broken, just how I felt. Every word he said tugged at my heart strings making me want to curl up in his arms and just hold him while he holds me.

Reaching for my phone again, I increased the volume so that Barry's voice was more audible, I had missed speaking to him so much. I hadn't even realized it until this moment, wiping the fresh silent tears from my face again. "I miss you too" I admitted. Simple words but it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

"Cait you have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice. Are you ok? Where are you?" he shot back down the phone making me want to cry all over again.

"I'm fine. I told you I was coming home – I'm in Central City"

There was a short pause not long enough to make me think he had cut the call but definitely long enough to make it seem as if he was not expecting that answer "Barry? You ok?" I started, but he cut me off before I could finish my question "Wait you're HERE in Central City, you LIVE in Central City. I've been going out of my mind and you're in the same city as me. How did I not know you lived here?"

"Because you never asked and I never asked where you were originally from" I told him honestly. He never asked where I came from, I never told him and I never thought to ask him as I didn't think it mattered.

"I've been in Central City for two weeks – I can't believe you've been here all along. Will you meet me?"

"What now?" My eyes widened in shock either the alcohol content has finally gotten to my Brain and this just another dream or Barry Allen had just asked me to meet him – Right now, In the middle of the night.

"Yes right now – meet me somewhere, I don't care where I just need to see you"

Biting my bottom lip I thought about it, I cast my eyes over at the photo album to the photo of my father and asked myself what would he do? Shutting my eyes I gave Barry the answer he wanted even before my brain had registered I had one to give "OK – I know a place; I'll text you the address"

Hanging up I decided to ignore everything and go with my gut that is what my father would have done. Growing up he would always tell me to never be afraid because somewhere inside you have more courage than fear but at times fear can scream louder. So for once I am throwing caution to the wind and having faith in my courage and hopefully it is stronger than my fear.

I arrived at the location at something to one in the morning. In typical Barry Allen fashion he was late as usual or he wasn't going to show. I took out my phone reasoning that if something had come up he would at least have texted me. I had been going through my thousands of emails for ten min before I got the feeling of being watched. Knowingly I proceeded to aimlessly scroll through my inbox until I felt the presence move to stand right before me. I tore my eyes away from the screen and looked up into those emerald greens I had grown to love so much a few more seconds had passed and he continued to stare at me with a look a look of longing and unbelieving.

Barry looked at me like he couldn't believe I was really real as if he expected me to vanish into thin air if he dare came any closer – not that he could come any closer. Realizing what was happening I stood up taking the opportunity to slide my phone into my back pocket.

"Hey" I said a tiny smile tugging at my lips for the first time in the best part of a month. He didn't reply he just looked at me as if I had just said the most ridiculous thing mankind had ever heard.

Feeling embarrassed and confused I averted my gaze back down to my feet had Barry not wanted to see me? Because I could've sworn that he was the one who wanted this meeting arranged in the first place. At some point his hand must have moved from his sides because the next minute his fingers were gently tilting my head up so I was looking him in the eyes once more, He reached out and with his other hand tucked a stray curl behind my ear and used the same hand to trace over my earlobe, across my cheek bone, over my lips before finally sliding down to rest in my own curling our fingers together and squeezing my hand tightly his other hand had long since abandoned my chin and was now resting lightly on my arm a second and two more past Barry's attention seemed occupied by our joined hands and with every second it felt like his grip was tightening I was sure he was never going to let go until he did.

It happened in a split second. Barry had used our tangled fingers to pull me to his chest before releasing my hands and taking me into a bone crushing hug His free falling tears were surely soaking my hair by now but I didn't mind "I missed you" he muttered into my hair it took me a while but I hugged him back even tighter only feeling slightly guilty for allowing my own cold tears to mess wet his shirt.

"I missed you too" murmured into his chest.

He pulled back for a second and even then it looked like he was having an internal struggle of whether or not to put distance between us even for a moment "Caitlin. I am so so sorry"

I sighed a deep sigh under his calculative gaze deciding not to make my previous mistake I looked up at him and straight into his eyes before breathing out my reply "I know you are"

* * *

 **So we're back and we're sorry about the long wait ... we didn't realise it had been so long.**

 **reminder that the time it takes us to update depends on the reviews we receive.**

 **thank you for reading**


	11. Chapter Ten

"So why did you choose to meet me here of all places?" Barry asked effectively breaking the comfortable silence between us.

"Hmm " I started drawing my attention away from the specs of gold I had found in his crystal greens "it was a stop in the middle " I said shrugging my shoulders as if it were no big deal that I had asked to meet him at one of the most highly secured facilities in central city because to me it really wasn't a big deal. "Come on" I said leading the way to the large doors of the polished building.

"You know Caitlin. In the whole year you've known me I think I might have forgotten to mention one thing" Barry debated casually tapping his finger to his chin "I'm not down for breaking and entering " he deadpanned coming to a standstill and refusing to walk any further. I shot him an amused look and began to chuckle causing him to look at me with a worried expression "Caitlin?" he asked only making me laugh louder

"I'm sorry I said in between breaths "Trespassing? We're not trespassing, Barry. Just think of it as a convenience stop" Barry looked at me probably feeling as exasperated as he looked if not more.

"Convenience? Trespassing is not convenient Caitlin , not for anyone" I stifled my laughter and proceeded towards the entrance when suddenly I felt a pair of arms lift me up into the air and I found myself being pressed up against a hard chest . He walked us over to a hedges and sat us down behind them

"Barr..." I started to protest, my voice was muffled out by the action of Barry's hand over it

"Shhh Cait someone's coming" he whispered into my ears. Well no kidding idiot I thought to myself as Barry tried to keep us hidden from the two men approaching who by their voices I recognized to be Mike and Tom.

"It's over here I swear " I heard the shorter of the two insist. Mike sighed and decided to go with the latest recruits instincts

"No Tom. That is just the Lamborghini. They're probably already inside" reasoned the more professional of the two. Now if Barry would just let go of me – not that I mind the contact but this is completely unnecessary I thought to myself as I struggled against the vice like grip he had on me .

"Barry" I tried speaking through his hand the sound came out more muffled than I intended "Barry let me go ".

"Caitlin just shhh two seconds" he uttered just above a whisper causing one of the guards to turn around

"What was that?" asked Tom

"NOTHING" exclaimed Mike "it was absolutely nothing. Just like it has been for the last six times you've made me walk around the building in this hour" and with that he stormed away back into the security block politely informing Dave over the radio that they would be going back to watch the gate .

I chuckled out loud once they had left, was I seriously hiding in the bushes with Barry Allen for no apparent reason whatsoever, After what like forever Barry finally released me.

"Caitlin, we've got to go" he said frantically trying to drag me away from the door

"No" I said stubbornly shaking his firm grip off "you wanted to talk and now we're going to talk" I stated crossing my arms in an authoritative fashion.

Barry just groaned out aloud "Yes I do want to speak to you. Ok? We can talk but anywhere but here Please Caitlin, just listen to me. I've been caught here once before in high school when I was sixteen and trust me the owner does not like me. Not at all"

I looked on amusedly at him "Hmm is that so? Well seven years is a long time. I'm certain they has forgiven you by now " I said reaching out to open the door when Barry began to frantically grab at my hands holding them in his "What now ? " I asked getting quite annoyed with my companion.

The air surrounding us suddenly must have seemed like it had dropped to be below zero because suddenly I could see every word Barry spoke "Caitlin. What are you doing?! Places like this have alarms that go off the minute someone touches the handles and then some crazy robot scans your irises" he expressed using a showcase of various ridiculous gestures.

Iris scanner and door sirens – What kind of jacked up fictional show did this guy even watch? I sighed in defeat "Barry." I spoke aloud "Move yourself this very instant or I swear I'll remove you myself"

In an instant his panicked expression morphed into his familiar smirk "Oh really Snow? You think you can take this?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

"Yes I do" I dead panned.

Barry shook his from side to side in a mocking fashion "Hmm" he feigned interest in what I was saying even though he clearly wasn't paying attention. In that moment I swore Barry must be the fastest man alive because in the next second I was backed against the glass once again being forced to stare intensely into his eyes. He leaned forward a bit moving to whisper in my ear by this point I was sure my legs had turned to jelly. One more advancement would surely see the great Caitlin Snow on the ground a gooey mess. "Hmm still so sure you can take me Cait?" he spoke in that deep husky voice that had me trying to grip on to the glass behind me for support.

I lazily dragged my finger up his chest "Yeah I'm sure" I said through hooded eyes, Stamping on his foot at the last minute. Barry's hands fell down from either side of my head and he began a dance of hopping on one foot.

"Aggghhhh" he groaned out "God Cait. What did you do that for?!"

"You were blocking the door" I said simply slipping my hand into my back pocket for my access card.

"No Caitlin " Barry began before his eyes came to rest on the white card in my hand "Where the hell did that come from?! " he asked throwing himself in between me and the door once again panic returning to his facial expressions. "Did you take that from someone who works here...? No Caitlin we can't do this… it's stealing. I told you the owner hates me. I swear they'll probably have me sent to prison… and look at me I wouldn't last in prison" Barry warned all while still hopping on one foot.

I threw my head back in exasperation and brought a hand up to massage my temples before piercing my heels into his other foot too "Ms Caitlin Snow, daughter of Dr Aurora Mercury and Dr Gregory Snow" I said swiping my access card and yanking the door opened "Soul heiress to Mercury Labs it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance" I turned around holding my hand out to him.

It took a few seconds before Barry made the connection "You're half Mercury?!" He asked in disbelief and absolute horror.

"Yes" I nodded.

"You stepped on my foot" he stated still hopping on one foot.

"Yes?" I nodded again.

"TWICE?! " he declared alternating between hoping on his right and left foot respectively.

"Good well now you can hop to it " I said gesturing grandly to the foyer inside the building. Barry looked at me as if I had grown an extra head. I was grateful when he realized he wasn't doing us any good by standing out in the cold and finally listened to me manoeuvring flamingo style inside.

"You're cruel Snow ... Wait SNOW. You said GREGORY SNOW as in THE GREGORY SNOW. HE was YOUR father?! Oh my god. This is happening. I have been best friends for the past year with something that came out of my idol?!"

I rolled my eyes not at all surprised by the reaction given the giant poster of my father that I had found in Barry's cupboard I was sort of expecting him to combust on the spot once he found out. "First of all never say that sentence again and secondly I came out of my mother. My father just ... You know"

"You're THE THING that GREGORY SNOW MADE".

"Yeah … I and almost everything else in this building" But Barry completely ignored me

"Oh my god Gregory Snow could have possibly TOUCHED this ACTUAL desk" he said eyes as big as saucers "And what about this pen? He could have used it" I couldn't believe this was happening. Here I was trying to let the most important person in my life in on one of my most well kept secrets and turns out he is a bigger fan of my father than he is of me. Am I seriously jealous of my father right now?

"Bartholomew that desk was bought 3 years ago and I got that pen this morning" I said speaking to him as if he were a child.

"Oooh what does this do?" He asked reaching for the bright blue remote that was casually resting on the front desk. I wonder how that even got there.

Moving faster than I ever have in my life I hopped onto the desk grabbing it off the table before he even got a chance to touch it "That's the lock down button you moron. Touch that and we're stuck here till next Tuesday"

"So do you have your own parking spot?" He asked randomly.

"What? Of course I do. I own every parking spot in this place"

"Can I have my own parking spot?"

"No, you cannot, that's for employees only and important ones at that" he seemed to ponder over this for a moment

"Can we share your parking spot?" He asked trying his luck again.

"No, I don't have an Oompa Loompa Car and neither do you Plus no. It's MY spot"

"Caity didn't Barney teach you how to share?" What the actual hell was he doing dragging that over-sized purple creature into this?

"No. But I'm sure he taught you how to use your imagination. So enjoy your imaginary parking spot" I said continuing to walk ahead

"Is that a yes on the giving me my own parking spot?" He hollered

"NO" I snapped marching towards him and swiping my FAVOURITE device off the desk "one more word Allen and I use it "Barry looked petrified

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET A FREAKING TASER FROM?!"

"The all night online Taser store" I replied sarcastically "It's reserved for people who keep asking me for parking spots. The last two ... Well let's just say sometimes you can still hear their echoes of their voices through the halls" I said eerily. "Now, are you going to be a good boy and come along or am I going to have to bring along my friend 'Mr Taser'?!"

"YOU NAMED THAT TOO? First the lingerie and now THE BLOODY TASER?! That's it I get naming rights for your children." I threw the Taser onto a nearby couch

"I'm walking away now " I said rolling my eyes and making my way further into the lab as predicted Barry jogged after me .

"Pssst Caitlin I think someone else is here with us" UGHH not this again I thought to myself feeling the need to avoid a repeat of outside I decided to point out the obvious to him

"Yes that's Dave. You didn't think we'd leave billions of dollars of equipment and research unattended overnight. Did you?" That seemed to shut him up for a while – Finally sweet silence.

"So is it true you have an indoor gym for your workers?" He prodded.

That's it I thought to myself "DAVE!" I yelled my voice resounding throughout the entire lab and possibly the entire earth.

"God Cait" Barry winced covering his ears "If this heiress thing doesn't work out. Have you thought about becoming a professional banshee?" I was about to lose my mind thank god Dave appeared before I did.

"Dave can you please escort Mr Allen to my office. I'll be there shortly. Don't let him touch anything" I said beginning to walk away

"And where are you going?" Barry asked

"To get my pen" I responded before making a bee line for the waiting area.

"So Dave right… Is it true they have a Jitters and Big Belly Burger on site for all employees? I also heard there's an ice cream parlour" I heard Barry ask Dave as I walked away.

"Feel free to shoot him if you must" I called over my shoulder rolling my eyes at Barry. How can I be drawn to what I can only call my father's biggest fanboy? "Only in the leg or arm… nothing life threatening" I quickly added.

"You're not going to shoot me are you?" Barry asked Dave which only made me wish that he would.

* * *

"Thank you Dave" I smiled entering my office to see Barry standing by the model structure of DNA, rolling my eyes at him I wondered if he'll ever be able to do as he is told – I tell him not to touch anything and he wants to touch everything. If I knew for sure telling him to touch whatever he wants will not make him touch everything then I would but I can't risk it, the last thing I need is for him to destroy everything in this building. "You can leave us" I added knowing Dave had work he needed to do and if we're going to talk them we need to be alone.

"Very well Ms Snow … I'll be doing my rounds if you need me" he informed me. Nodding my head as acknowledgment to what he said. I waited until he left my office, closing the door behind him before turning my head to look at Barry.

"I thought I told you not to touch anything" I placed my hands onto my hips with a look that said 'explain yourself'.

"I…" it was at that moment the five foot model collapsed to the floor making all the small coloured balls roll run free across the carpet. "My bad" Barry turned to look at me with his hands up in the air.

"You think?" I asked slamming the taser down onto my desk, making sure Barry saw it clearly as a silent warning to not touch anything else. "You do realise that took me two weeks to build with my parents when I was nine" I watched the ball roll around the floor. It was in this office which he shared with my mother that I spent two weeks of my summer vacation sat in the middle of the floor building that model then my parents would spent their breaks, lunch and even taking time out of their day, dropping whatever they were working on to helping me build it. Fourteen years it stood there and it took Barry all of three seconds to destroy it.

"I'll help you rebuild it" he slowly stepped away from where the model stood, tip toeing between the coloured balls so he didn't crush any of them.

"Just leave it where it is, the cleaning staff will collect all the pieces tomorrow – you wanted to talk so talk" I flopped into my chair waiting for Barry to find his way to the seat opposite so he could talk because not two hours ago he was begging me to talk to him and as of yet he hasn't said anything to me.

"So about this parking spot" he took the chair opposite me, resting his elbows on the edge of my desk. Rolling my eyes at him I swiped the taser off the desk and snapped it into action as a warning for him not to ask again. "OK we'll revisit the parking spot later"

"You're not getting a parking spot – you don't need one so stop asking or else the next time I press this button it will not be as a warning" I pressed the button on the taser again making it snap again.

"Cait, Put the taser down. You're beginning to scare me" Barry moved around in his chair, his arm stretched out in front of him as he is was debating if to attempt to talk the taser off me or not.

"I'm scaring YOU? Am I the one who showed up on your doorstep in nothing but a towel" I placed the taser down onto the desk beside me out of his reach but close enough in case I need to us it on him… as a warning or for real.

"No... But if you still want to give that a go… I'm not going to stop you" Barry raked his eyes over my body from mid-thigh to head where he could see due to the rest being hidden by the desk.

"BARRY" I called in horror at the feeling of his eyes undressing me.

"OK – ok maybe a robe. Robe is better than a towel and I promise to keep my eyes closed the entire time"

Raising my eyebrow at him, in a mock way of asking him is he was being honest because not one cell in my body believed him. "Really? That didn't happen the last handful of times you ended up crashing on my couch "

"I'll at least pretend as if I'm not looking. If it makes you feel any better" rolling my eyes at him due to him being such a gentleman – Not.

"Come on. It'll be fun and I promise not to alert any neighbours this time ... As long as you don't scream "

"'Me? with all your girlie high pitched screeching at finding me on your doorstep YOU will probably wake Mr Grumpy next door "

"Oh yes, Who can forget the man who listens to Marvin Gaye on replay but constantly tells people to turn Mozart down" Barry said sarcastically bringing that night into question flooding back as we both broke out laughing at the old man who lived on the other side of Barry.

"Oh my god – That was so embarrassing. Why are you laughing? Stop laughing" I covered my hand with my mouth to stop myself from laughing but just couldn't, not when I look across the desk at Barry who has his head thrown back in a full fit of laughter.

"Hey come on it was funny, the look on your face when I told him. 'I'm sorry. I promise to play Beethoven for you, Tell your friend Marvin to shut the hell up and get it on somewhere else'" Barry quoted which sent us both into a fit of laughter once again.

"That isn't what you said… try ,tell your friend Marvin to shut the hell up because we're trying to get it on in here – It was a very traumatic experience for me" I told him honestly, never in my life had I confronted anyone about an issue until then. I can still remember how badly my hands were shaking from the moment he knocked on the door until his door closed once again.

"Come on Cait. It was funny"

"Ok it was kind of funny" I admitted as we both threw our head back laughing a full belly laugh this time.

All of a sudden Barry stopped laughing as he turned to look at me, a look of seriousness crossing his face and all signs of fun and laughter gone. "What happened to us?"

"What do you mean by what happened to us?" I asked confused because from where I'm sitting everything is ok between us … isn't it?

"Why are you acting as if you don't know what I'm talking about…everything was great between us then you went and disappeared on me?"

"You hurt me Barry, you ditched me for that girl after you promised me that you wouldn't" I told him the truth, he promised me three times he wouldn't ditch me, Once in my apartment before we left and twice in the car on the way to the masquerade ball.

"You said you didn't mind if I danced with other people" Barry threw his arms up into the air.

"You left me standing by myself – BY MYSELF for over an hour in an environment I didn't want to be in … an environment I put myself in for you… because you asked me too then I mind" I told him honestly. I didn't mind him dancing with other people for one song, I didn't expect him to spent the whole night by myself but when I'm left alone for over an hour then I mind and we have a problem. I didn't even want to go to that stupid ball; I went because Barry asked me to go with him and no other reason.

"Well you didn't have to" Barry jumped up from his chair, slamming the palms of his hands down onto the large wooden desk separating us. "I trusted you would be mature enough to be honest with me. We're not teenagers anymore"

"I wanted to be there because you asked me to be. No other reason than because you wanted me to be there. Do you think I would have done that for anyone else apart from you… do you think I would put myself in that situation for anyone else?" I asked mirroring him by standing up and placing the palms of my hands onto the wooden desk, leaning slightly over it with narrowed eyes directed only at him.

"You still could have given me some indication that you were not aright with it" Barry balled his hands into fists taking a step to his right, so the desk was no longer blocking him from getting to me.

"And how do you expect me to do that when you didn't even notice I was standing right there, you only had eyes for her. I could have easily have left without saying a word to you and you wouldn't have even noticed" stepping to my left so I could remove myself from behind my desk, I stood opposite him, my chest heaving heavily as I felt my anger building up inside me.

"You know that isn't true" he pointed his long slender finger at me.

"Really because I believe you didn't look at me once for over an hour" my hands moved to my hips as we stood in a standoff against each other… if Barry thinks I'm going to back down then he can think again.

"My eyes were ALWAYS on you. Maybe if yours weren't otherwise occupied you would have noticed"

"And what is that supposed to mean? My eyes were on you the whole time so don't come that crap with me. Your eyes were fixed on your dance partner the whole time"

"You're the only one I ever see in a crowded room – why can't you understand this." Barry spoke with his arms stretched out between us, for a second I thought he was going to grab me by the shoulders and shake me.

"You didn't look in my direction once. All you had eyes for was Aurora so don't give me that crap about only seeing me in a crowded room. We both know it's about as real as her hair" I huffed knowing neither of us are going to back down any time soon which means this could be a long night.

"if I didn't pay attention to you then how come when that guy started talking to you I wanted to march over to you and rip his head off because he doesn't deserve any of your time… you're worth more than him. Hell at times I wonder why you both with me" sighing Barry looked to deflate right before my eyes as if he had finally reached a point where he was giving up. His whole body sagged a little, that sparkle in his eye had gone out and his smile, that smile that makes me want to smile whenever I see it was nowhere to be found. "Caitlin I don't know what else to tell you. Do you want me to lie and say this past year meant nothing to me – that you mean nothing to me?"

"I don't know Barry, how about you just tell me the truth" I shot back knowing if we're ever going to get past this then I need to hear the truth from him and not what he wants me to hear.

"This past year has been the best of my life because you were in it. I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life but it clearly meant nothing to you"

"DO YOU THINK I WOULD BE THIS HURT IF IT MEANT NOTHING TO ME" I shot back. Turning my back on him I walked over to the filing cabinet sitting against the wall behind my desk and opened the bottom draw, retrieving the half bottle a bottle of Scotch from the bottom draw and two glasses.

Placing the two tumbler glasses onto my desk I poured us both around two fingers into the glasses, soft sliding one across the desk to him. Leaving the bottle open on the desk knowing I might need a top up at this rate, I swiped the glass and took a small sip, feeling the amber liquid burn the back of my throat as it slid down.

"I don't know what you are anymore" Barry finally spoke, taking a small sip from his own glass. His eyes following my eyes move. "You're like a traffic light, one second you're go the next you're stop then out of nowhere you're throwing a cautious and warning sign in my face"

"Because I have to be like that Barry" I sighed, walking around to the side of the desk, I resting against the side of it, next to where Barry stood, slowly sipping his Scotch. "I have to protect myself Barry, I lost my parents when I was sixteen, I was left alone with no one so the only person who could protect me was myself… it's become a way of life for me. I no longer had my parents to protect me… I had to learn to do that by myself and now everyone who comes into my life I have to protect myself from because I don't want to hurt like that ever again." I admitted my parents protected me from people finding out about my powers, they were always there, they helped me understand them and suddenly they were both gone and I had no one so I had to protect myself from everything in the world that could harm me.

"You keep talking about getting hurt but I'm never going to hurt you. That is the last thing I want to ever do" Barry finished the remainder of the Scotch in his glass and placed the empty glass onto the desk. "You say you don't want to hurt me but this hot and cold thing you have going on is hurting me. I've spent the past three weeks going out of my mind because you wouldn't talk to me. You just took off and I didn't know if you were ok or not… and that hurts because what if something had of happened to you and I lost you for good?"

My hands began to shake at the idea of my life without Barry in it; these past three weeks have been the worst of my life. Being unable to talk to him and tell him everything I'm thinking. When he first gate crashed my life I hated him, I wanted him gone but over the past year he's become that person I need to be around. He's the person I stay up with until three in the morning talking about whatever comes to mind knowing he's not going to judge me for making him spent hours on end discussing the most pointless things. He makes me laugh but also makes me cry, he's the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. The idea of someone touching me makes me want to break their arm but with Barry I want him to hold me, I sleep the best at night when he's beside me – something I never thought would happen but it did and it all started because he opened my mail.

Draining the rest of my Scotch, I sighed placing the glass beside Barry's "I don't want to lose you either, I can't lose you"

"Then don't push me away" Barry spoke in a deep low voice, closing the space between us trapping me between him and my desk. Taking both of my hands into his I expected to see the familiar look of discomfort I am used to seeing whenever he touches my ice cold hands, that moment where he thinks about pulling back but I saw nothing, no discomfort or any intention of letting go.

It's as if the temperature of my skin doesn't bother him anymore, almost to the point where he is accustom to it. He doesn't feel it anymore when I know he does. Has he really touched me that much that it doesn't bother him anymore – if so when did that happen?

His emerald eyes looked down at me as he hovered over me due to the height difference, his hot breath fanning against the ice cold skin of my face as I looked up at him. "I don't want to hurt you" I told him again, he doesn't realise how dangerous I am, I don't think he ever will.

"How many times do I have to tell you" he pulled my arms around his back, placing my hands onto his lower back Barry moved his hands to brush my platinum blonde locks out of my face. "The only way you can hurt me is by pushing me away – don't push me away Caity"

In the blink of an eye I felt his lips on mine, the heat of his lips against my cold ones making me freeze in shock at what was happening – how did this happen? Sliding my hands to his chest I lightly pushed him backwards to put a little space between us. "Bar…" He cut me off again as his lips made contact with mine once again.

Caught in the moment I was vaguely aware of the moment my eyes fluttered closed as my lips began to move in rhythm with his. My arms twisting around his neck, pulling him in closer as Barry wrapped his arms around my waist pulling my small frame flush against his. Realisation at what was happening hit me as I quickly put distance between us, the last time I was this close to someone else – well I don't even want to think about what happened.

Stunned I pushed him away from me, my hands began to shake as I stood and watched in slow motion as the icicles shot my hands and into the wall behind him. How close I came to putting them into his body scares me, three seconds earlier and I would have impaled them into his chest…killing him.

Standing in shock I looked at him, hoping that there is a chance he never saw what happened but judging by the shocked expression on his face, he did notice and is now thinking a million and one things.

"Wh…Wha… What just happened?" Barry stuttered looking between the four icicles sticking out of the wall behind him and me.

"You kissed me - you kissed me" I hid my hands behind my back so he couldn't see me. If it wasn't for the icicles sticking out of the wall then I would have passed it off as him seeing things but it's harder to hide holes in the wall.

"How did that happen – what is going on here?" placing his hands onto his head, he began to pace the floor, his eyes flicking between me and the wall each time he passes me which just made me even more nervous.

The idea of telling him the truth about me has crossed my mind a couple of times but it never happened like this – it shouldn't have happened like this. "You took me by surprise"

"Oh my god what sort of black magic is this? Am I being pranked?!" his disbelief suddenly turned to full blown panic and he searched the room. I did expect him to be out of the door by now, a normal person would have run for their life but Barry is still stood here trying to work everything out. "Caitlin I don't know what is happened, did you do that? How did you do that? I don't understand anything that is happening"

Panic began to flood through my veins as to how I was going to take control of this situation, how I can explain all this to Barry in a way he will understand before I realised what I was doing, I had the taser pressed against his stomach shocking him. Barry fell forwards onto me as I caught him trying my best to hold us both upright "clearly I never thought this through"

* * *

 **Well she tasered him … how nice of her…**

 **What do you think will happen next…**

 **When we release the next chapter depends on how many reviews we get**

 **Thank you for reading**


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